June 2004 Ph.D., Curriculum & Instruction, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Cognates: ethics and policy; education technology
1994 Certification for Secondary Teaching (English, Literature, Social Studies, Computer Applications)
1989 MA English University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Magna Cum Laude
1987 BA English University of Nevada, Las Vegas minors: Philosophy & History, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Kappa Phi
Concentration on content literacy learning, young adult literature, and the middle and secondary English language arts classroom. Academic advisor to entering secondary education majors and secondary English language Arts majors. Counsel students regarding major, minor, double major, and dual degree requirements. Management and facilitate undergraduate and graduate portfolios. Coordinate, and present seminars during freshmen and transfer orientations. Active in revising the secondary undergraduate program., Syllabus objectives connect with the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) and the University of Maine at Farmington’s Standards for Beginning Teachers. Courses taught include:
Content Literacy
Teaching Middle and Secondary English
Young Adult Literature
Secondary Classroom Management
Introduction to Women’s Studies
Teacher-English, Computer Applications, Social Sciences
Clark County School District - Las Vegas, Nevada
1994 - 2003
Concentration on the genres of essay, short fiction, drama and poetry as well as textual meaning and response serve as the focal point for discussion, writing, and research. Students are taught MLA documentation for their research projects. Courses are broad in scope and spectrum, allowing students to grasp a broad overview of the literary cannon. English courses rely on building and refining writing skills for students. Students learn the various modes of expository writing including the descriptive essay, the comparison/contrast, the refutation, and various ways of developing a persuasive composition. Courses taught include:
Composition II
Composition and Language Advanced Placement
English I, II & III
American Literature
English II honors
Women’s Literature
3d animation and graphics.
Additional duties: Northwest Accreditation committee member, Wide Area Network Videoconferencing facilitator, computer and technology team member (Tech Team), textbook selection committee member, academic bowl team (Varsity Quiz) coach, and Key Club advisor.
Secondary Teacher License: English, Literature, Computer Applications, Social Studies
Additional Experience
Director, Masters of Education in Secondary Education program
University of Arizona South
2007- present
Develop the newly created Masters in Secondary Education Program. Design and create course scope and sequence for pre-service teachers. Create and teach courses. Advise students. Coordinate graduate seminars. Work with faculty and field service personnel to articulate and enact an integrated vision of practice-based teacher education as a caring community of researchers, scholars, and teachers.
Project Facilitator, Federal WAN (Wide Area Network)
Chaparral High School, Clark County School District - Las Vegas Nevada
2000-2003
A participant in a nationwide, multi-million dollar project to increase the use of technology in education. Conduct in-service training for teachers, students, and district personnel. Facilitate global communication between collaborating sites, schedule video-conferences, and manage equipment usage among students and teachers. Developed a year long interdisciplinary, multi-tasked, curriculum that supported and focused on students’ comprehension of content area and ability to work collaboratively across multiple grade levels and diverse populations. The project encouraged and promoted higher levels of thinking to stimulate cognitive skills in which technology-based learning was used as the foundational strategy for application of curriculum. “Beyond the Boundaries” was internationally received and supported at several conferences and is currently in its fourth year of implementation.
Research Assistant
Dr. Robert K. Dodge, Professor, Department of English University of Nevada Las Vegas
1997
Researched the history and publication and frequency of poems appearing in American almanacs for publication. The research culminated in the Publication of A Topical Index of Early U.S. Almanacs, 1776-1800. Compiled by Robert K. Dodge. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1997.
Head Writer, Associate Head of Creative Affairs
Library Distributors of America – Las Vegas, Nevada
1994-1995
Chief script editor and consultant for LDA programming. Writer and editor for documentary scripts for an educational market ranging from kindergarten through college. Writer for video jacket copy, commercials for all acquired and produced LDA video programming. Cultivate projects, coordinated contracts between writers, producers, and production personnel. Selected and acquired existing video domestically and internationally.
Publications
What’s the Big deal about Graphic Novels? Middle Link: Maine Association for Middle Level Learning.(Autumn 2006).
Literacy activities for reading revolutions. Public School Supplementals for the Reading Revolutions lecture series sponsored by the Remnant Trust and the University of Maine at Farmington. (http://hua.umf.maine.edu/Reading_Revolutions/ 2005).
The gap between the real and the ideal: The right to an education amidst fiscal equity
legislation in a democratic culture. Ethics and education. (In press).
Secondary English Language Arts Teachers’ Perceptions and Implementation of Change Policy. (In press).
Reading Women’s Lives (2005, 2006). Boston, Ma.: Pearson Custom Publishing.
Secondary English Language Arts Teachers’ Perceptions and Implementation of Change. (2004). Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Research Assistant for A Topical Index of Early U.S. Almanacs, 1776-1800. Compiled
by Robert K. Dodge. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1997.
Presentations
“When policy hits the classroom door.” The Learning Conference. 22-25 June, 2006 Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“Mary Wollstonecraft An 18th century thinker with revolutionary ideas for the 21st.”
Invited Speaker, Remnant Trust Great Books lecture series, University of Maine at Farmington, November 9, 2005. Farmington, Maine. (available online at http://hua.umf.maine.edu/Reading_Revolutions/ ).
“Young adult literature and significance to student development.” Maine Association for
Middle Level Education Annual Conference, October 14, 2004. Sugarloaf, Maine.
“Beyond the boundaries: Interdisciplinary videoconferencing across the curriculum.” Computer Using Educators, Inc. National Spring CUE Conference, May 9, 2002. Anaheim, Ca.
“Students teaching students.” Kids Who Know and Do. PBL Seventh Annual Conference on Project Based Learning. April 23-25, 2002. San Francisco, CA.
“Beyond the boundaries.” Computer Using Educators, Inc. of Southern Nevada. Regional Spring CUE Conference, April 13-15, 2002. Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The Political Escalation of High-Stakes Testing in America.” Doctoral Colloquium. November Doctoral Colloquium for College of Education. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. November 2001.
“Beyond the boundaries.” An interdisciplinary/inter-curriculum videoconferencing project. Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada. Yearly in-servicing and training 2000-2003.
“Masks: An Interdisciplinary Approach.” Chaparral High School. March 1998 Teacher In-service. Las Vegas, Nevada. Fall 1997, Spring 1998.
“Plant Symbolism in Hawthorne’s The Blithedale Romance.” Popular Culture Association American Culture Association. Far West Popular Culture Convention. Las Vegas, Nevada. January 1991.
“Of Bitches and Bastards: Love as Power in Dorothy Parker’s Short Fiction.” Popular Culture Association American Culture Association. National Popular Culture Association Convention. San Antonio, Texas. April 1991.
“Elvis Speaks: Elvis as a Christ Figure.” Popular Culture Association American Culture Association. Far West Popular Culture Las Vegas, Nevada. January 1990.
