I am an associate professor and the chair of graduate programs in education, with primary interests in special education, bilingual education, issues of diversity and inclusion in schools, and social emotional learning as a critical aspect of teacher education and ongoing professional development. My courses at Ithaca College focus primarily on student difference and diversity and on the impact, planning, and implementation of differentiated instruction in public school classrooms. I am equally interested in elementary and secondary school education and teach in both our undergraduate and graduate programs.
Before coming to Ithaca College I spent many years working as a public school teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer in Washington, DC, especially in two-way bilingual schools. My current research interests include the implementation of differentiated instruction and inclusion to truly meet the needs of all students, both in the classroom and in teacher education; teacher collaboration to address the needs of systemically neglected students; innovative practices in city schools; and social emotional learning as part of the professional training and practice of teachers. As part of this work, I have launched and facilitate SEL Space, a virtual space for early-career teachers and graduates from our programs to meet, share, problem-solve, and support one another around issues of personal wellness and professional sustainability in the practice of teaching.