Allison Grunke MLC ’22 has always been interested in learning—her students’ learning and her own.
She happily spent five years on MLC’s campus to earn a double-major in elementary ed and early childhood ed, and now she’s back at it, working on an MLC master’s degree in education with an emphasis on instruction.
As Allison teaches 4K and kindergarten at Mt. Calvary/Grace in La Crosse, Wisconsin, she’s finding that everything her MLC professors are teaching is improving her own teaching. Everything she’s learning is ramping up her students’ learning too. Learning fuels learning—and that of course, is the goal, as she told us in our interview:
Allison, what do you find so fascinating about the learning process? I’ve always enjoyed learning more about learning and how the brain works. Each person is uniquely crafted by God—right down to the way our brains process information in a given moment of time. Each of the students I teach is a unique learner and requires a variety of instructional methods and approaches to navigate and learn more about the world around them. The internet, while filled with amazing information, can be overwhelming in its quantity. Pursuing my master’s degree has helped me sift through that information to find what best suits not only my students as learners, but myself as their teacher.
You’ve only been teaching a few years. Why pursue a master’s degree so soon? As teachers, we pray that the students in our rooms learn to love learning. We pray they become lifelong learners. By getting my degree, I’m able to be an example for my students. I can share in their learning journey, as I’m also going to school. And it’s also been such a blessing to do this under the leadership of Lutheran professors who keep Christ at the center of our learning.
I can share with my students that my school tells me about Jesus too!
Who’s supporting you on this journey? At graduation, I remember the meeting we had where Dr. Meyer encouraged us to continue learning. Right after I graduated, Cindy Holman [now-retired national coordinator of WELS early childhood ministries] was a strong advocate for continued education. It felt as though a personal friend was not only encouraging me to try, but also supporting me through the journey. And I’ve felt that same feeling of encouragement and support from each of my professors ever since.
As you started the program, what were your goals? How were you hoping to grow as an educator? Starting the program, I wanted to be sure that the information I hope my students learn is presented in the most efficient and impactful way. Students only spend nine months in my classroom. How can I best reach them, share Jesus with them, and encourage their curious minds to keep working hard and finding more things out about the world around them?
Now that you’re in the thick of it, is the program meeting your expectations? Are you growing as much as you’d hoped? I’ve loved the program so far! I’ve learned so much, and through this learning I’ve gained so much confidence in myself as a teacher.
I like the flexibility of the program. The online platform allows me to meet my class expectations on my own time throughout the week, depending on how my teaching schedule is for that week.
And I’ve been able to apply many of the things to my current classroom. It works well to add things in “bite-size” portions—for example, taking a math course and being able to really focus and polish my math teaching skills. Being able to take one course and reflect that in one area of teaching makes it seem less overwhelming and more meaningful.
Can you tell us about one course that’s been high-impact for you? I actually have two stories for this one.
Family Issues in Education, taught by Professor Philip Huebner, really gave me a better understanding of the various ways family dynamics affect the learning process. I left that course with awesome outreach and school-bonding ideas.
For instance, in March, we invited families to school for Stories and S’mores. While literacy was the overarching theme, we were excited to see current parents bonding with each other and welcoming the new parents. And at Christmas time, we invited families to help us decorate Christmas trees. The students sang for church, and then the younger children and their parents stayed after the service to decorate. The students talked about those trees the entire Christmas season! They were excited to be part of the church family!
Another course I took last year was Improving Instruction in Math and Science (taught by ….. ). I’ve never been the most comfortable teaching science, but this class gave me so much more confidence. I was able to apply what I was learning immediately in my own classroom, and I saw my students grow not only in knowledge, but in their love for science. Science quickly became the class they enjoy the most. It’s great to see my students’ curious minds at work, discovering new things and having fun while doing it.
Many teachers may be considering a master’s degree right now. What would you say to them? Entering the teaching profession can be overwhelming. Continuing to educate yourself through higher learning, such as the MLC master’s program, allows you to hone your skills without losing the momentum of your regular day-to-day classroom functions. I’ve been able to give my students my best in the classroom while learning more outside of the classroom.
Many institutions offer master’s degrees. What makes MLC’s program distinctive? Having professors who know you, encourage you, and pray for you is truly the biggest blessing of all. I know that if I have a question or would like more information on something in my ministry, I could reach out to any of my professors and they would quickly (and gladly) respond to my requests.
I want to give a huge thank you to these professors, who are so motivating and passionate about the teaching ministry. The care and encouragement, as well as the abundance of knowledge, they all share is a blessing to me and my fellow classmates on this journey.
As teachers and fellow called workers, we work together to make each other better. By doing this, we are creating classrooms filled with students who will in turn do the same—with Christ at the center of it all.
We also asked Allison to tell us a bit more about herself: I grew up in Fairfax, Minnesota, where my parents and my older brother still reside. (Interesting fact: I have over 100 cousins on my mom’s side!) My fiance, Joshua Hesselberg, and I got engaged in October of 2025, and we will be getting married May 28, 2027, at MLC! He’s currently in the Police Academy and will graduate in May.
I have a sweet 2-year-old dog named Murphy who keeps me busy with his zoomies and who loves being outside for our daily walks—even in the frigid winter weather. I got Murphy in California, where I was assigned in 2022 as an ECE director apprentice at Calvary in Redding. Though Murphy’s a California dog, he loves snow!
I recently started the “sourdough journey” and have been loving that adventure. I enjoy playing piano, running, working out, being outdoors in the summer—including playing on a softball team—traveling to new places, and exploring new coffee shops and wineries.
