Early Beliefs
A desire to make a difference for others since age 4-5
When did I feel the desire to be Dr. King and take "my people" to the mountain top?
a fourth grade teacher in a self-contained classroom
What was my first teaching position?
My early research interests were the ways that preschool mothers use library visits as literacy experiences for their preschool children.
What was my first research study?
I taught undergraduate and graduate Reading Methods courses as well as children's and adolescent literature at the University of Alabama
What classes did I teach at the University of Alabama?
I have extensive experience in the Lebanon Special School District
What kind of knowledge do I have of local schools?
Teaching, like preaching, is an opportunity to live out one's philosophy of how to treat others
How is teaching like preaching?
When computers were added to classrooms in Lebanon Special School District, my classroom was one of the first
What is a 21st Century Classroom?
Sociocultural and participatory action research are two important theoretical approaches that impact my experience as a researcher and as an educator.
What are two theoretical approaches that impact me as a researcher and an educator?
I taught and developed a literacy course online at the University of Alabama.
What did I teach online at the University of Alabama?
I have taught learners of all ages from preschool through graduate school.
What types of learners have I taught?
Life is not fair, but my classroom can be a place where people experience equitable treatment
How can students experience equity when things are unfair?
I became an advocate for regular and special educators working together in this inclusive context
What is inclusion?
Community book club, vocabulary development, and shared writing are three topics on which I have written articles.
What are three topics of my written articles?
I taught children's and adolescent literature courses in a condensed format in Paraguay and in Colombia while on faculty at the University of Alabama.
When and where did I teach children's and adolescent literature internationally while on faculty at the University of Alabama?
I am comfortable teaching a range of courses: foundations, assessment, introduction to education, diversity, and inclusive education courses.
What types of courses could I teach?
The classroom takes on the personality of the teacher.
Like who do students act?
I have taught fourth, fourth inclusion, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes.
What grades have I taught?
When possible, I connect research and service in ways that meet community needs.
How do I connect research and service to meet the needs of a community?
I taught undergraduate and graduate students reading, language arts, literacy development, and in a literacy clinic course while at Syracuse University.
What courses did I teach at Syracuse University?
I have strong interpersonal and organizational skills that can be used in this position.
What skills can i bring to this position?
KWL charts allow students to connect new learning to their p____ K_____
What is prior knowledge?
My students engaged in activities such as readers' theater, language experiences, created new reports, and made their own books during my teaching career.
In what types of activities did my students engage?
I have presented at national conferences of the International Reading Association, National Council of Teachers of English, and Literacy Research Association (formerly National Reading Conference).
At which national conferences, have I presented?
While working at the University of Alabama, I provided professional development on literacy environment, assessment, and instruction to preschool and Head Start teachers and educational assistants.
I try to use a range of instructional practices to reach students so that they have the opportunity to learn. I also do this to model for teachers the types of instructional practices that they might use in their classrooms.
What types of instructional practices do I employ? Why do I use them?