Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jon McFarland. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Jon with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I didn’t always have a good, strong work ethic. As a teenager, I procrastinated and left things off until I was pressured to finish my tasks at home and school. This was a different story when it came to athletics, My parents kept my brother and me active in club sports growing up as an avenue for a healthy balance of physical activity and competition. I was a competitive swimmer between the ages of 7 and 21. I competed in club swimming in Hawaii through most of my K-12 school years and swam for the University of Hawaii, Manoa for four years after that. Competitive swimming helped instill a strong sense of determination through hard work, perseverance, and grit.
I struggled a bit through high school because I kept hearing negative comments from teachers who told me that I would not thrive, if not survive, in higher education. I wanted to prove them wrong, so my attitude toward academics changed upon arrival at UH Manoa. Working multiple part-time jobs, swimming competitively in college, and pursuing a double major undergraduate concentration was difficult, however, I had something to prove to myself and others who doubted me.
I continued my academic pursuits by earning an MA in French Literature and eventually earned my doctorate in Educational Leadership from California Lutheran University in 2017. From 2002-2018, I worked full-time as a high school French and English teacher at Pacifica High School in Oxnard, CA. The Ed.D. was something that I wanted to accomplish for myself. It did not increase my salary on the pay scale at my school district, but it opened doors for me to make a greater impact in the education field. My intrinsic motivation for working and serving students kept me focused on my long-term goals of working in higher education with pre-service teachers.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Currently, I am an Associate Professor of Teacher Education at California State University Stanislaus in the Central Valley of California. I started at the University as an Assistant Professor in the Single Subject Credential Program in 2018 where I prepared pre-service secondary school teachers for the exciting profession of being public school educators. I quickly assumed leadership roles in the Department of Teacher Education as the Bilingual Authorization Coordinator and Co-Coordinator of the Single Subject Credential Program. Through my work with amazing colleagues and the support of my university administration, I have been fortunate to make vital programmatic and curricular changes that increase equity and inclusion for my teacher candidates and the students they serve in the Central Valley.
In 2023, I assumed the position of Department Chair of Teacher Education which allowed me to further my professional efforts by supporting three different teacher credentialing programs and encouraging the professional aspirations of my faculty members. Additionally, I mentor new faculty in our department, conduct valuable professional development training for our K-12 school district partners, and work with community partners to create sustainability for new teachers.
My professional goals at Stan State have led me to the community service I conduct as well. I am the Executive Director of Central Valley Pride Youth Initiatives (CVPYI), the educational strand of Central Valley Pride. Central Valley Pride is a nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQ+ community in the Central Valley with event organization, youth support groups, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and professional development. CVPYI provides training for K-20 partners on supporting and serving the LGBTQ+ community including students, teachers, staff, and administrators.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
This is a difficult question since various skills and qualities have helped me professionally and personally. One important skill that continues to impact me daily is to practice compassion. Compassion can be learned, developed, and honed. Compassion is something that I work on daily, and it surfaces in multi-faceted ways with my work with others and how I treat myself. In my job, I work with many faculty, staff, students, and school district partners who may not be in the most positive space when coming into contact with them. When problems arise, I find it important to listen and empathize without passing judgment. To demonstrate compassion is to want to help those around me, so I offer support and possible solutions when appropriate. Advising students is an exciting part of my position, but sometimes students find themselves in unfortunate predicaments due to multiple factors perhaps beyond their control. My students appreciate the autonomy I provide them when I present options and work with them to be successful in the long run. Demonstrating compassion for others is my way of being altruistic. What I do impacts those around me, and helping others also comes back to me tenfold.
Demonstrating compassion for myself is an ongoing process. I work long hours, so I find moments throughout the day for small brain breaks, a walk outside for sun and reflection, cooking myself a nourishing meal while listening to good music, going to the gym for a workout to decompress, or getting a relaxing massage. Self-care is not the same as self-indulgence. The former takes self-awareness of one’s body and mind which considers some simple acts of kindness for oneself that nourish and heal. Self-indulgence considers one’s immediate desire for something that may fulfill the here-and-now but may not be good for oneself like camping out on the couch all day binge-watching a TV series and eating junk food.
Another quality that I embrace wholeheartedly is social advocacy. As a former public high school teacher in an area where the majority of my students were of color and from low socioeconomic households, many of my students did not know how to stand up for themselves and advocate for their education. This sense of advocacy extended to my teacher candidates at Stan State as well through one-on-one advising sessions with my intern candidates on how to navigate challenging scenarios at their school sites. I have revamped our Equity and Diversity course in the Single Subject Credential Program to better prepare teacher candidates for working with marginalized populations of students including emergent bilinguals, homeless and foster youth, LGBTQ+, and youth who have experienced trauma, chronic illness, or human trafficking. This work led me to do nonprofit work with the LGBTQ+ community in the Central Valley and provide professional development training to K-20 partners across California. For anyone wishing to make a difference in their community, it is important to understand that even small contributions can have a big impact on others.
Lastly, I am learning to lean into change. My work responsibilities have changed quite a bit when I became the Department Chair of Teacher Education at Stan State. I try to embrace the challenges and changes this position has presented me without resentment for what I had previously. Change is inevitable, and I need to accept it. By leaning into this position, I am opening myself up to learning new skills and applying leadership qualities that help faculty and staff thrive in their roles in the Department. Leaning in for me is being adaptable, honing my managerial and organizational skills, practicing good communication for maximum clarity, setting tangible goals, and working as a leader and team player to ensure the success of faculty and staff.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My friend and colleague, Dr. Derek Riddle, has continually inspired me as I strive to improve myself personally and professionally. We started together as colleagues in the Single Subject Credential Program at Stan State in 2018. From the start, we became good friends and colleagues. I can always rely on him to help me work through the difficult challenges the job has presented. Derek has been available to hear me out and is a creative force for innovative ideas that challenge the status quo and make me a better teacher and person. He is an amazing educator and an overall good individual whom I deeply respect.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.csustan.edu/people/dr-jon-mcfarland
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centralvalley_pride/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentralValleyPride
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jon-mcfarland-11b09a35/
- Other: https://centralvalleypride.org/
