Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction | University of Wisconsin-Madison (2007)

MSE in Reading | University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (1995)

Areas of Expertise:

• Adolescent Literacy
• Middle School
• Teacher Professional Development
• Forgiveness Education

I began teaching algebra and reading in a junior high, and transitioned to a language arts teacher on a team when the school switched to a middle school. I also worked as a reading specialist at both the elementary and middle level. I then chose to focus on helping future teachers develop when I began teaching at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. This experience helped me realize that I too wanted to continue developing professionally, which led me to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I pursed a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Teacher Education.

I believe that my job is to be a facilitator as the students and I construct knowledge with each other. I need to have high expectations and understand that it is my obligation to challenge all students, from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and to help them develop as professionals. I need to be knowledgeable about education, schools, methods and teacher learning theories. The curriculum I provide should be student centered rather than teacher centered. In addition, I need to provide hands-on, meaningful experiences that allow students to apply their learning to real-life situations.

As a scholar, I am interested in qualitative research that deals with teacher learning and professional development. My current writing and research focuses on how teachers understand and implement a forgiveness literacy curriculum in urban schools and how this impacts their classrooms and the children they teach.

Date of First Employment at UW Oshkosh: January 1999
Years of P-12 Experience: 5 Years

Classes Typically Taught

• Teaching Language Arts
• Middle School Education
• Adolescent Literacy
• Administration and Supervision of Reading Programs
• Literacy and Language in Expressive Art