300 North Washington St.
Gettysburg, PA 17325-1400
Education
PhD Union Institute & University, 2009
MS McDaniel College, 2000
BS Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1995
Academic Focus
Comprehension, Creativity, Digital Literacy, Inquiry, Literacy, Teacher Preparation, & Ungrading
Office of Teacher Education and Certification, Director
I believe a great teacher does more than "great work," she continues to stretch and grow intellectually in a socially conscious way to support all learners. My research and teaching activities are strongly interdependent through the lens of inquiry. I teach a variety of community-based courses in literacy and as well as inquiry-based education courses. These courses include a balanced mix of theory, practice, methodology, assessment, and innovation. My students do research with me in the field and on campus. We often present our results together at research conferences and publish co-authored journal articles and book chapters. I believe in blending theory with practice through action research, specifically inquiry. I conduct much action-research in local schools as well as with alum. If you don’t have a desire to teach, but are very interested in the field of education - you can explore the field of education through a personal lens as you design an Educational Studies Minor. Hope to meet you soon!
Courses Taught
Education shapes our lives in powerful ways—but access to high-quality learning experiences isn’t distributed equitably. This course explores how different educational systems—urban, rural, private, cyber, and magnet—reflect and reinforce broader social inequities. Through real-world case studies and interdisciplinary research, we’ll examine why gaps in opportunity and achievement persist and how factors like social class, race, gender, and identity shape students' experiences. By investigating the systems behind these disparities, students will develop a deeper understanding of how education impacts communities—and how they can play a role in making it more just.
How does creativity shape the way we learn, teach, and lead? This course explores traditional and contemporary models of intelligence and creativity, examining their impact on learning, leadership, and problem-solving. Drawing from educational, psychological, cultural, artistic, and neurological perspectives, students will investigate how creativity fuels engagement and motivation. Held in our very own Innovation, Creativity Lab, this hands-on course challenges students to design, implement, and assess a cross-disciplinary project that brings the creative process to life in real-world contexts.
This course will allow students to explore a variety of approaches and perspectives in teaching literacy and literature in the secondary classroom. We will investigate methodologies and issues surrounding the teaching of reading, writing, speaking, viewing, thinking, and listening in today’s digital world. Students will have an opportunity to develop better literacy skills and strategies as they learn effective instructional methods to use in various secondary classrooms. Students will have an opportunity to work with secondary students at local schools. Offered annually, fulfills English Teacher Certification requirement. Prerequisite: EDUC 201 with C or higher grade; or permission of the instructor.
Why do some Young Adult (YA) books and media resonate deeply with audiences—while others are banned? This course explores how YA literature, film, and digital media reflect and shape young people’s experiences. We’ll examine issues of identity, gender, race, and society, as well as the cultural and developmental factors that influence YA storytelling. A key focus will be the impact of book bans and censorship, revealing how access to literature shapes the way young adults understand the world.
In a world flooded with information, what does it truly mean to be literate? This course explores the power of literacy as a tool for civic engagement, social action, and democracy. We’ll examine how technological advances have shaped access to information, deepening both literacy and illiteracy, and analyze the policies and pedagogies that influence who gets to be heard. Through a critical lens, students will investigate literacy’s role in shaping informed, active citizens—and consider new possibilities for a more equitable future. Prerequisite: EDUC 115, EDUC 199, or EDUC 201; or permission of instructor.
This course enables the prospective teacher to learn how to coordinate the classroom learning environment to effectively address the diverse needs of students in general classroom settings. The course considers characteristics of students with special needs and the modifications in teaching methods necessary to meet their needs. Classroom management techniques for academic, social, emotional, and cognitive differences are addressed. Students will design activities and respective accommodations for both general education students and students with special
needs. Various assessment techniques will be discussed and developed to evaluate the activities. Specific topics to be addressed include: federal legislation, teaching strategies, team collaboration, special support services, and individual education plans (IEP). Prerequisite: EDUC 201 with a C or higher grade; and MUS_CLAS 149 for Music Education; or permission of the instructor
Course utilizes teacher action research to develop informal and formal assessment techniques for teaching special needs students and English language learners within an interactive assessment-instruction framework. Offered in conjunction with EDUC 476 Student Teaching. Designed for all education students seeking professional licensure, this course addresses the processes for administering assessments through the development of a special needs or English Language Learner student case study. Students articulate an educational philosophy and create a reflective teaching portfolio including the action research case study. Limited to those students accepted and enrolled in the Education Semester. Prerequisite: MUS_CLAS 149 or EDUC 199, and EDUC 201; or permission of the instructor.
Every community struggles to fully support the development of adolescents in our fast-paced societies. The significance of the environment where young adults grow, learn, and explore will be investigated using critical literacy skills while engaging with literature, media, and experiential opportunities. Over the course of the semester, participants will reflect on their own identity development and learning in relation to the communities in which they belong. Using literature, texts, films, podcasts, and one another, participants will continue to reflect on this question; How does my community impact my identity and learning? We address these topics through the lens of identity development while learning side-by-side with adolescents who experience learning in a different setting. This course is a community-based learning initiative with adolescents who receive residential treatment through Abraxas' Leadership Development Program in South Mountain, PA.