EDUCATION

The University of Georgia:  Athens, Georgia
    Language Education Department
     Ed.D, June 1994

Areas of academic concentration:
Children's literature (both graduate and undergraduate level):
     language arts/reading; creative   dramatics 
     (with focus on storytelling and puppetry).
Teaching experience:  
     Language arts/reading,  emergent literacy, reading in the content area,  elementary school 
     social studies, creative drama in the elementary school, children's literature (K-8), poetry
     for the elementary classroom, multicultural literature.   Supervision of school practica and
     student teaching.

Dissertation:
     A qualitative study of a 3-month staff development course (designed and taught by researcher) in     
      creative dramatics, with focus on professional development of teachers.
             The University of Georgia:  Athens, Georgia
             Early Childhood Education
             B.S.Ed/Magna Cum Laude, 1976

Postgraduate Course Work:

    1994  Queens College (Charlotte, NC)
      Social Studies in the Elementary
      Curriculum (graduate level)
    1993  Stanford University
      AERA Institute with Dr. Elliot Eisner
      "Aesthetics and Qualitative Research"
    1992  University Wisconsin-Madison
         Storytelling/Dr. Rives Collins
                    Whole Language & Drama/Dr. Brian Edmiston
                    Creative Dramatics/Dr. Joan Lazarus
 

EDUCATION  EXPERIENCE

August 2001-January 2002
         Language Arts/Reading Specialist
         Arlington Public Schools
         Arlington, Virginia

 1997-June 2001  Assistant Professor
    Coordinator, Graduate Program
       Reading Specialist
    School of Education and Human Services
    Department of Education, Special Education,
      Social Work, and Speech Language Pathology
      and Audiology
    Longwood College
    Farmville, Virginia

1993-1997  Assistant Professor
    Department of Elementary Education
    Catawba College
    Salisbury, North Carolina

 1992-1993  Instructorship
    University of Georgia
         Language Education Department

 1988-92  Graduate Teaching Assistant
    University of Georgia teaching schedule:
     Children's Literature
     The Oral Language Arts
     The Written Language Arts
     Whole Language
     School Practicum
     Oral Language:  Prose and Poetry

 1987-88  Graduate Assistantship
    Major responsibilities:
     Editorial assistant to Dr. Joel Taxel, Editor,
     The New Advocate.  Edited manuscripts and checked
     all phases of publication from acceptance through
     proofs and mailing.

 1979-80  Kindergarten Teacher
    Bon Air Baptist Kindergarten
    Richmond, Virginia

 1977-79  Kindergarten Teacher
    Central Presbyterian Day School
    Athens, Georgia
 

RELATED EXPERIENCE

Office management for non-profit agencies:
 1984-87  Wake County Arts Council
    Raleigh, North Carolina

 1982-84  Vocational Curriculum Center
    Henrico County Schools
    Richmond, Virginia

 1980-82  Science Museum Foundation
    Richmond, Virginia
 

AWARDS & HONORS

1991   Teaching Awards:
    Award given for ranking top 10% of
    all graduate teaching assistants, in recognition of significant
    contribution to the instructional mission of the University
    through service in the classroom; monetary award given.
     Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award
     (31 awards given University-wide)
     and
     Excellence in Teaching Award
     for Graduate Assistants
     (5 awards given University-wide)

1993 Kappa Delta Pi (North Carolina)

1991 Phi Delta Kappa

1990   Work-study assistantship/scholarship
    Columbia University Children's Literature Institute

1989   Alpha Upsilon Alpha
    Honor Society of International Reading
      Association

1987   Emerging Artist Grant
    City of Raleigh Arts Commission
       (to attend National Puppetry Festival)

1976   Phi Kappa Phi
    Scholastic Honor Society

1974-76  Honors Program participant
    University of Georgia
 
 

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

    Assistant Chair for Program
    Annual Children's Literature Conference
    1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 (May)
     Four major speakers, 50+ concurrent
     sessions; 450-600 participants.
 
 

PRESENTATIONS (STAFF DEVELOPMENT/IN-SERVICE/WORKSHOP)

November 1998 Petersburg Public Schools
    Staff Development for Middle School Teachers:
    "Implementing SOL's Positively and Creatively"

November 1998 Presentation for Kappa Delta Pi and SEA
    "Puppetry and Storytelling in the Classroom"

 November 1998 Represented Longwood (2 representatives sent)
    at Virginia's READING RESEARCH FORUM
    [Roanoke, Virginia]

 October 1998  Speaker/"Take Back the Night"
    Student Affairs & Student Leadership Programs

 May 1998  University of Georgia Annual Children's
Literature Conference
    Workshop:  "The Lost Genre:  Poetry"

 May 1998  Fuqua School (Rainbow of the Arts Day)
Puppetry workshops

March 1998  The George Graham Lecture in Reading
    (Attended for Professional Development)
    "Celebrating Literacy"
    University of Virginia

March 1998  VEMA/Virginia Educational Media Association
    James Regional Conference Workshop:
"Organizing a Storytelling Festival in Your School"

 March 1998  S-LATE (Southside Virginia English/Language Arts)
Conference.
Workshop:  "Power and Possibility of Poetry in the
  Classroom"

February 1998 NAEYC/National Association for the Education
       of Young Children
    Heart of Virginia Chapter
    Workshop:   "Puppetry"

 January 1998  Co-presented workshop on multicultural
education with Dr. Cooper at Kenston Forest
School in Kenbridge, Virginia

 October 1997  Workshop for pre-service teachers on puppetry
    3-hour "make-'n-take"

October 1997  Virginia Association of Teachers of English
    Fall Conference:  Teaching in Revolutionary Times
    [Williamsburg, VA]
    Workshop:  "Power and Possibility of Poetry"

 1995   Workshop:
    “Drama in the Classroom”

 1993   Workshop:
    "Cultural Diversity in Children's Literature"

1992 "Oral Language/Drama in the Elementary Classroom"
     Staff Development (dissertation study)

1992   "Current Children's Literature, K-8"
    Staff Development, Oconee County Schools

1992   Qualitative Research in Education
    Conference Presentation (panel)
    "Perceived Values of Preliminary Studies"

1991   "Puppetry in the Classroom"
    IRA Regional Conference/Winston-Salem, NC

 1991   Workshop:
    "Shadow Puppetry"

1990   "Puppets as Partners"
    Southern Order of Storytellers
    9th Annual Olde Christmas Storytelling Festival

1990   Workshop:
    "Puppetry in the Classroom:  A Multi-
    Disciplinary Experience"

1988-97 Children's Literature Conference

 1988   Workshop:
    "Puppetry to Enhance Literature"
    Storytelling/Performance for Luncheon

 1989   Workshop:
    "The Artist in the School"

1983-91  Puppeteers of America National Festival
    Workshop on puppetry in education
    1983  Ames, Iowa
    1987  Cincinnati, Ohio
    1989  Boston, Massachusetts
    1990  Helen, Georgia (Regional)
    1991  Tahlequah, Oklahoma
    1992  Charleston, South Carolina (Regional)

1975-present  In-service and workshops on puppetry for
        elementary school systems, librarians, media
        specialists, hospital staff, religious educators,
        early childhood education conferences (local
        and state-wide), literature and reading
        conferences (local and state-wide).
            [Portfolio available]

TEACHING (STORYTELLING/PUPPETRY/DRAMA)
   For Children:
    Classes in creative dramatics, puppet-making, and performance
    for grades K-sponsored by:
    (1) private auspices
     self-funded; private camp settings in New Jersey,
     Pennsylvania, and West Virginia; Arts Together (private
     non-profit agency/Raleigh, N.C.)

   Public funding
     parks & recreation departments; after-school programs;
     special classes for GT and handicapped populations;
     public libraries; state art museums (Virginia and
     North Carolina); public school systems [Richmond, Va;
     Raleigh and Durham, N.C.; Athens, Ga.]

   PUPPET PARTNERS {children's puppetry troupe}
     Teacher and director/1984-87
     (under the auspices of Arts Together/Raleigh, NC)
 

    For Teachers:
     (1) university level
     "Puppetry in the Classroom" (1984/5-hour credit course)
     [Virginia Commonwealth University/Richmond, Va.]
     "The Oral Tradition in Prose and Poetry"
                       [University of Georgia, graduate course, Spring '89]
     Regular guest speaker for language arts, reading, and
     literature courses at the University of Georgia (1988-present)

    (2) public school systems
     Virginia:  Richmond/City; Henrico County
     North Carolina:  Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill
     Georgia:  Clarke and Oconee Counties
     North Carolina:  Rowan-Salisbury
 

CONSULTATION

-Arts Festival (Richmond, Virginia -- 1979-80)
-Masters Thesis student/pediatric nursing program
-Classical music ensemble
-Curriculum development
  (Prescott-Durill Publishing Company; Clarke County
   Schools)
-Adoption agency
-Boy-Girl Scouts
-Museum application
      North Carolina Museum of the Arts
      Science Museum of Virginia
-Adult literacy programs (utilization of children's literature)

 

PERFORMANCE

 Shows (generally one-person though occasionally with
  larger cast) in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina,
  Pennsylvania, and Virginia.  Using mainly hand-puppets,
  with additional presentation with shadow and other
  puppetry forms (primarily hand-made).
   Audiences range from small library groups to large
   corporate functions.  Show format includes diversity
   of puppet forms, combined with music-storytelling-drama,
   with audience participation encouraged.
 Storytelling Festival/Raleigh, N.C. -- 1985-1993
 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

*American Alliance for Theatre and Education
*American Association of University Professors
*American Educational Research Association
*Association of Curriculum and Supervision Development
*Children's Literature Association
*International Reading Association
*Kappa Delta Pi
*National Storytelling Association
*National Council of Teachers of English
*Phi Delta Kappa (Virginia Piedmont Chapter)
*Puppeteers of America, Inc.
*S-LATE/Southside Virginia English/Language Arts
*UNIMA (International Puppetry)
*Virginia Association of Teachers of English