About Us | Mirror

Exploring opportunities to support change-makers and innovators in K-12 education

Dr. Jason N. Smith is a White male with brown hair and blue-green eyes wearing a blue checkered shirt and a green tie seated at a table

Dr. Woodley is White woman with brown hair and brown eyes wearing a black jacket, green shirt, and red glasses while smiling and standing in front of a grey background.

Our Story, Our Passion

Jason and Kara met in their doctoral program in Curriculum & Instruction at Texas A&M University in January of 2020. Since meeting, both of their research areas have focused on creating equitable learning experiences for students and strategies for teacher self-reflection. Each of them has a strong passion for learning, growing, and evolving as researchers, educators, and educational coaches and facilitators. As educators, researchers, and learners, Jason and Kara remain committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. They strive to create spaces where all people have a voice, and are seen and heard.

Image of people from all races, ethnicities, orientations, and abilities

Meet The Team

Dr. Jason N. Smith is a White male with brown hair and blue-green eyes wearing glasses

Jason N. Smith, Ed.D. (he/him)

jason@mirrorandmosaicedconsulting.com

Educator, researcher, & co-founder

Dr. Jason N. Smith is teaching faculty and the Program Coordinator of the World Language Teacher Education Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As both an educator and researcher, Jason has presented at numerous national and international conferences such as the International Conference on Urban Education (ICUE), ACTFL, the Wisconsin Chapter of NAME, and more. Currently, he teaches graduate methods and linguistic courses. He has over 20 years of experience teaching French and Spanish in the K-12 setting (public, private/independent, and boarding). His research interests include critical language theory (langcrit), critical intercultural competency (CIC), and culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogies. For his practical dissertation, he conducted a qualitative case study on the implementation and use of critical interculturality in K-12 language courses using critical consciousness theoretical frameworks to create an inclusive professional development program, which centered around critical self-reflection.

For more information on his publications and presentations, please visit www.jasonnsmith.net.

Kara Woodley, Ed.D. (she/her)

kara@mirrorandmosaicedconsulting.com

Educator, researcher, & co-founder

Dr. Kara Woodley is an assistant professor of special education at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. She has 20 years of experience in education in the university and urban education K-12 settings. She teaches graduate and undergraduate special education courses and graduate level research methods courses. She teaches graduate courses in action research methods, special education, teacher education, and student teaching. She also teaches undergraduate courses in student teaching, inclusive management strategies, special education, teacher education, and academic and behavioral interventions. Her research interests include multicultural special education, urban education, culturally responsive teaching, and teacher education. Dr. Woodley has conducted research using disability critical race theory and critical consciousness theoretical frameworks to investigate teacher perception of culturally responsive professional development opportunities. She has also conducted research within the SoTL framework, the scholarship of teaching and learning. Dr. Woodley has presented her work at many regional, national, and international conferences including the International Conference on Urban Education (ICUE), American Educational Research Association (AERA), and Wisconsin Chapter - National Association of Multicultural Education, She is currently a state board member of Wisconsin Council for Exceptional Children.

For more information on her work and presentations, please visit www.drkarawoodley.com