General Information
Biography
My background as an educator is teaching middle school science, grades 7-8. I have taught in Title 1 schools Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland, and in Omaha Public Schools in Nebraska. I received my training as an educational psychologist through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As an educator of teachers, my goal is to prepare teachers for the diversity of experiences they will encounter in the field. I hope to prepare teachers to use compassion and data-driven decision making while planning for, delivering, and assessing their instruction. I also hope to cultivate a skillset in teachers that will enable them to engage with the entire learning community to help strengthen the culture of education and learning outcomes for students.
Teaching Interests
Educational Psychology for Preservice Teachers. Mixed Methods Research. Qualitative Research Methods. Introduction to Educational Research
Research Interests
Development of teacher identity in preservice and in-service educators. Student motivation to engage in scientific research as secondary students, especially for traditionally underrepresented (in STEM) minorities and females. How teacher-sponsors develop and carry out science research program for secondary students
Service Summary
I serve on several committees across the Teacher Education Department. I am a co-editor for the Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research (JEQR). Locally, and nationally, I currently serve as the treasurer for the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, and for the Metropolitan Science and Engineering Fair, and as a strand coordinator for the National Association for Research in Science Teaching.