Profiles - Graduate School of Education

“We know we are having an impact and that makes everything worth it.”

Peggy graduated Portland State in 1959 with a degree in education. She had majored in music for two years singing soprano, however her parents urged her to get a teaching degree as “something to fall back on.” That had a lot to do with social conditions; it was only a year before she graduated that the first African American woman, Gloria Davy, sang at the Metropolitan Opera. During her time at Portland State, Peggy was the only African American in the music department.

How is a Letter to the Editor like a poem?

Providing services to K-12 schools, school districts, and nonprofit organizations to improve education systems here in the Metro region and across the state.

How do you initiate and facilitate a service-learning program that promotes a meaningful educational experience for students at home or abroad?

What practices support professionals in identifying and teaching students who have skill deficits versus those with performance deficits? Tiffany Jones explores these questions with students in her instructional methods courses at PSU.

How can schools raise academic achievement in a time of reduced funding?

How can educators counteract heterosexism in schools that reinforce gender norms and impart heteronormative values?

How do we prepare teacher, building and district leaders for 21st century learners?

Are you interested in areas of human services? Talk to Kathy!

Interested in e-learning or training and development? Talk to Toni!

How do we create schools that effectively support all learners in general education environments?

How can teachers and schools best provide equity, access and rigor for all students? Howard Yank explores the variety of issues and strategies connected to academic success in challenging environments with students in his instruction and advisory roles at PSU.

How can student affairs professionals understand student motivations, support student growth and development, and provide necessary support services in a learning environment?

When identifying students for service how can we differentiate a physical, mental or emotional special need from the challenge of learning the English language?

How do language and culture shape school experiences? Discuss your thoughts and experiences with Dr. Anita Bright, whose research explores these ideas in the context of public school education.

How do we support children and youth with challenging behavior in school and community settings?

Interested in adding an ESL (ESOL) endorsement to your teaching license? Talk to Greta.

How critical are partnerships in improving professional teacher education?

Interested in pursuing a certificate or endorsement in special education? Talk to Tracy!

Would you like to get PSU credit for courses offered through a cooperative agency? Talk to Julie Wolleck!

Interested in pursuing a reading endorsement online? Talk to Elizabeth!

Interested in incorporating service-learning into your curriculum? Kerry can tell you about our programs!

What would it be like to grow up Native American in our preK-12 school system? No one would know this better than Terri Reed, the first graduate of the American Indian Urban Teacher Program (AIUTP).

How can we build a scientifically literate population necessary to address the critical problems of our times?

Why is leadership development important to the success of all students in our schools?

How does state policy impact the success of students in Oregon’s PreK-16 educational system?

Reading Up - Boosting teen literacy

Youth in Foster Care Build Successful Adult Lives

Want to know how linguistically and culturally diverse children and their families navigate the educational system in search of equity?

The Center for Interdisciplinary Mentoring Research (CIMR) launches a new Blog with updates and resources on mentoring research.

Assistant Director of External Relations

How can teachers make the most of each interaction with students around texts? How can teacher educators help teachers facilitate more powerful text-based discussions? Dr. Dot McElhone explores these questions through both her teaching and research.

Want to know about college student success?

In the Middle - Teaching and learning about young adolescents

How can committed teachers avoid burnout? Ask Professor Christine Downs

How can postsecondary teaching and learning create authentic experiences that empower learners to create social change for sustainability? Dr. Burns explores leadership skills and organizational change with her students in sustainability courses.

How can you learn to differentiate between ELL students who are struggling because of second language acquisition issues or disorders?

How can teachers learn to meet the needs of diverse groups of learners in their classrooms? Dr. Liza Finkel explores this issue in her work with preservice and inservice teachers.

How do social, political, economic and cultural forces shape and influence public education?

Have you ever been curious about how Heart Rate Monitors can improve your training? Ask Professor Deve Swaim.

How do we make the student the center of math and science teaching and learning? Ask Professor Ron Narode.

Synopsis: How can school counselors improve their practice? Ask Dr. Tina Anctil, who helps school counselors make data-based decisions.

How can you deepen the mathematical thinking and discourse in your classroom? Dr. Nicole Rigelman explores this question through both her teaching and her research.

How do you teach writing to students with learning problems? Ask Steve Isaacson, who helps teachers teach written composition to students who struggle with literacy skills.

Autism affects one child in 110. Where can teachers learn about effective educational practices for children with autism?

How do we improve literacy outcomes for a diverse range of learners? Dr. Amanda Sanford explores this question in her instructional and supervisory role at Portland State University.

What enhances adult learning and motivation in the classroom? Dr. Andy Job helps students learn effective tools and techniques.

How can you approach your special education career through family-centered and strengths-based models? Dr. Leslie Munson emphasizes the importance of these approaches as she prepares students to provide services to children with special needs and their families.

How can we develop literacy curriculum that is relevant to students' cultural and linguistic worlds? Dr. Jason Ranker explores these questions in his research on literacy.

How can young children benefit by interacting with senior citizens? Ask Professor David Allen.

Dr. Samuel Henry has taught and served in variety of roles in education and academia.

How can clinicians learn to keep professional boundaries while developing therapeutic relationships with clients? And how is this taught? Dr. Lisa Aasheim explores these questions with students in both her instructional and supervisory roles at PSU.

How do counselors develop the most potent clinical and professional skills to help a variety of clients? Dr. Miars addresses these questions through his interests in clinical supervision and the development of ethical professional practice.

How do people cope with major life crises such as the onset of chronic illness and disability? Dr. Livneh is studying these areas and would love to hear from you about your own personal experiences.

Promoting sustainable gardening, growing food and healthy nutrition.

Preparing teachers to serve children with special needs

How do we improve the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders?

How can documenting children and teachers' learning experiences become a teacher's way of life? Ask Dr. Will Parnell, a professor in early childhood education and Pedagogical Director of Campus Early Childhood Schools.

Professor Christine Chaille co-authors book entitled:The Young Child as Scientist: A Constructivist Approach to Early Childhood Science Education, 3rd Edition.

Dr. Yer Thao publishes his book, The Mong Oral Tradition: Cultural Memory in the Absence of Written Language.

Professor James O."Blue" Bickford in the Department of Special Education is the project director for a national distance distance learning program preparing teachers of children with blindness and visual impairments.

What do teachers need to know to empower and engage all students to be lifelong lovers of learning? Ask Dr. Barb Ruben, assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Professor Susan Lenski, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, co-edits literacy book entitled Literacy Teacher Preparation: Ten Truths Teacher Educators Need to Know. Co-editors include Dana L. Grisham and Linda S.Wold.

Edited by Dr. Micki M. Caskey, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Graduate School of Education, Making a Difference: Action Research in Middle Level Education, highlights action research in middle grades education.

Dr. Kenneth D. Peterson co-authors book entitled:Enrich the quality of teaching and learning in your school with meaningful teacher evaluations by Kenneth D. Peterson and Catherine A. Peterson.

All children, including those with special needs and disabilities, deserve inclusive and effective educational practices. Ask Professor Ruth Falco about research in the GSE that applies and develops these practices.

What do teachers need to know about literacy instruction? Ask Dr. Susan Lenski, a Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the Graduate School of Education.

What is mathematics education for? Why does school mathematics alienate so many intelligent people? Those are the questions that haunt Swapna Mukhopadhyay, who studies Critical Mathematics Education and Ethnomathematics.

"The Gender Chip Curriculum," designed by Dr. Samuel D. Henry and Educational Leadership doctoral student Wendi Laurence, has been web published and is available for classroom use.

Do you want to talk "politics, public education and environment?" Meet Dr. Dilafruz Williams.

How do you infuse technology in a school library program? Professor David Bullock can tell you.

What does a bridge have to do with educational leadership? Ask Dr. Tom Chenoweth, PhD,a scholar and educational leader committed to building bridges between the university and school practitioners.

Social studies is her passion, and students are her highest priority.

What if your view of holistic education encompasses the entire world? Ask Dr. Temple to share her vision of internationalizing inclusive teacher education.

How does campus climate effect student development outcomes and faculty productivity?

How can schools implement evidence-based practices that can provide safe, positive school experiences for ALL students?

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." a quote by John Dewey summarizes Dr. Micki Caskey's view of education.

How many career paths are available and how many lives can you touch as a special educator? Ask Professor Ann Fullerton, Director of Research.

How do teachers learn and develop? Ask Professor Dannelle Stevens, who studies teachers' learning and development.

What can we learn from a story? Ask Dr. Thao, a scholar interested in oral tradition.

How is play related to learning? Ask Dr. Christine Chaille, a professor in early childhood education, who researches the importance of play for young children.

When it comes to college choice, don't forget Mom or Dad. Through his scholarship, Dr. Michael Smith reminds us that entire families, not just students travel down the road towards four-year college enrollment and graduation.

Visioning the needs of children who are blind and visually impaired lets one reach a zenith of creativity. Dr. Bickford coordinates the sole program in the northwest and a national distance education program that prepares teachers of blind or visually impaired children.

Seeing people as part of many different systems exponentially expands the possibilities for counseling success.

Why do people do what they do and how can counselors help people live life more effectively? Ask Dr. Rick Johnson, in the Counselor Education department.

Do you need information about continuing professional development? Talk with Cheryl Livneh.