As I carry out my teaching responsibilities, I am driven by my commitment to the following:
All students should have access to a high quality education program that enables them to become competent teachers of the young children they serve.
All students should be challenged with high expectations and given the academic supports and tools to achieve them.
Instruction should actively engage students in the learning process, provide opportunities for reflection, and build critical thinking skills.
Academic learning should build viable connections, which will enable students to both master content and apply it in real world settings.
All students are individuals and should be valued.
Undergraduate Teaching
TE 204 Typical and Atypical Development TE 341 Introduction to Early Childhood Education TE 342 Literacy Methods for Preschool Teacher TE 343 Methods of Inclusive Education Ages Birth through Three TE 344 Methods of Inclusive Education Ages Four through Eight TE 345 Field Experience: Early Childhood Unified: Birth through Three and Three to Five TE 335 Methods of Inclusive Education Grades K-3 TE 335L Field Experience: Methods of Inclusive Education K-3 TE 336 Methods for Preschool and Kindergarten Classrooms TESE 333 Young Children with Special Needs TESE 334 Assessment and Intervention TESE 334L Assessment and Intervention lab TESE 437 Medical Aspects of Disability
Graduate Teaching
TE 837P Medical Aspects of Disability TE 805 Overview of Assistive Technology TE 832 Research-Based Instructional Strategies for Students w Exceptionalities TE 851 Principles of Early Childhood Education TE 852 Issues and Trends in Early Childhood Education TE 853A Improvement of Instruction in Early Childhood Education TE 857 Early Communication, Language, and Literacy TE 816A Practicum: Early Childhood Unified/Inclusive
Awards in Teaching 2014: NU System-Wide: Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award 2013: UNK: Creative Teaching Award 2012: UNK: Creative Teaching Award 2011: UNK: Creative Teaching Award 2012: COE: Academy for Teacher Education Excellence at UNK 2008, 2009, 2017: Mortar Board Faculty Recognition at UNK
Curriculum/Program Development
2017 to present: Providing direction and support for the Early EdU pilot project designed to be a gateway for early childhood teachers not otherwise considering college; Revised the Curriculum and Instruction: Elementary I Montessori Curriculum and program of studies and created an undergraduate option which can be converted in the future to a minor; Created a new Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Montessori Curriculum and program of studies, with an undergraduate option which can be converted in the future to a minor; developed with Early Childhood colleagues, a comprehensive curriculum renewal for the Early Childhood Inclusive program to be submitted in 2019.
2009-2016: Developed and taught the remaining three courses for the Early Childhood Specialization in the C & I MAED. Provided resources and supports for the College of Arts and Sciences and Teacher Education to develop the online courses needed to complete the ECU BA completion degree and the ECU Initial Certification track for ECU Online. Collaborated with Nebraska Indian Community College to enable native students to complete BA Early Childhood degrees. Created the administrative structure for ECU Online which includes a program coordinator, a website, advertisement materials and mentors, and currently oversee the program. Completed the NCTE accreditation report and updated program requirements and Rule 24 Matrix for NCTE and the Nebraska Department of Education; sat on the Nebraska Department of Education Ad Hoc Committee to revise the ECU endorsement and align to new national standards from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Council for Exceptional Children—Division of Early Childhood (DEC). Revised the ECU (now ECI) endorsement for the state and created syllabi for several of the new and revised courses. Developed, taught the new courses: TESE 333, TESE 334/334L, TE 336, and TE 335/335L. Created the Early Childhood and Family Advocacy (ECFA) Degree with the Family Studies department, and revised the Early Childhood Minor. Serves as the co-advisor for ECFA.
2005-2008: Continued revisions to the face-to-face ECU endorsement BA program. Developed the online courses needed to complete the ECU Additional Endorsement and opened the program online. Taught several of the courses and personally supervised field experiences for both face-to-face and online students. Created the early childhood specialization in the Curriculum and Instruction Master’s program. Created the syllabus and and taught the first course for that program, TE 852.
2003 to 2005: Developed the face-to-face ECU endorsement BA program. Personally created the course syllabi and content for TE 341, 342, 343, 344, 345. Created and orchestrated field experience sites for TE 343, 344, and 345, and visitation sites for TE 341 and 342. Updated Rule 24 Matrix for NCTE accreditation and the Nebraska Department of Education. Established an early childhood curriculum section in the Calvin T. Ryan Library and an early childhood educational materials collection in the College of Education. Worked with the Nebraska Department of Education to develop the preschool Early Learning Guidelines.