Curriculum Vitae

 

Areas of Interest

Reader response to multicultural and diverse literature, disability studies, language arts and social studies methods, social justice, and teacher inquiry.

 

Education

Ph.D., Curriculum, Teaching & Educational Policy                    June 2009

Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Dissertation: Rereading Dis/ability in Adolesent Literature: Textual Invitations and Reader Repertoire

Director: Dr. Laura Apol

Committee: Dr. Janine Certo, Dr. Lynn Fendler, Dr. Susan Peters

 

Master of Arts in Teaching                                                                August 1996

The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado                      

Masters Project: Teaching Conflict Resolution Across the Curriculum

 

Bachelor of Arts, cumm laude                                                            May 1994

The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado                      

Major: Sociology, awarded with distinction

Senior Thesis: HIV Postive Women and Social Support

 

Honors and Awards

Dissertation Completion Fellowship                                      Spring 2009

Graduate School and College of Education

Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Excellence in Teaching Award                                               Spring 2008

Center for the Scholarship of Teaching

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Multicultural/Cross-Cultural Program Award                         April 2007 

Presented to Safe Schools Organization

Department of Student Life

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Emerging Progress Toward Excellence in Diversity                 April 2006

Team Teaching Award

Presented to Children's Literature Instructor Team

All-University Excellence in Diversity Recognition

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

 

University Teaching

                    

Gustavus Adolphus College:

Literacy for the K-12 Teacher (EDU 320)

Elementary Methods for Teaching Social Studies (EDU 372)

Elementary Methods for Teahcing Language Arts (EDU 374)

Elementary Interdisciplinary Methods/Practicum (EDU 385)

Indepenent Study: Philosophy/Practice of Classroom Management 

Field Supervision of Elementary Teaching Candidates

Michigan State University:

Children's literature courses:

Young Adult Literature (ENG 308)

Indpendent Study: Young Adult Literature and the Canon (ENG 490)

Reading and Responding to Children's Literature (TE 348)

Methods and Materials for Teaching Children's Literature (TE 849)

Issues of Diversity in Children's and Adoloescent Literature (TE 448)

Literacy methods and writing courses:

Socio-psycholinguistic Approaches to Reading (ENG 408)

Indendent Study: English Language Learning (ENG 490)

Elementary Literacy Methods (TE 802)

Preparation for College Writing (WRA 1004)

Teacher preparation courses:

Human Diversity, Power & Opportunity in Social Institutions (TE 250)

Inquiry in Curriculum and Teaching (TE 804)

Internship in Teaching Diverse Learners (TE 501)

 

K-12 Teaching and Leadership

 

Elementary Language Arts Coordinator                                 Fall 2000-

American International School of Vienna (Austria)                        Spring 2003

Classroom teacher, grades 3-4                                            Fall 1999-

American International School of Vienna (Austria)                        Spring 2003

Language Arts, World History, ESL/Resource (grades 5-8)     Fall 1996-

Classroom teacher, grade 3                                                 Spring 1999

American International School of Bamako, Mali

 

Scholarship:

 

Publications:

Walker, V., Greaves, D., Mileski, T., and Patterson, L.  (Fall 2008). Questioning

    Representations of Disability in Adolescent Literature: Reader Response Meets Disability

    Studies, Disability Studies Quarterly:  Special Issue: Disability Studies in the

    Undergraduate Classroom, 28(4), (pages NA).

(Walker) Struthers, V.  (Spring 2007).  Resources for Studying Your Own Teaching, Center

    for the Scholarship of Teaching website, Michigan State University. (Pages

    accessible through http://www.educ.msu.edu/cst/approaches_resources.htm.)

Rappin, J. and Struthers (Walker), V. (2004) For Mentor Teachers, ASSIST Project website,

     Michigan State University.

     (http://assist.educ.msu.edu/ASSIST/school/mentor/indexmentor.htm.)

 

National/International Conference Presentations:

Walker, V. (November 2012). “Playing with dis/ability in Schneider Family Award-winning   

      young adult literature.” Paper presented at the National Council of Teachers of English

      Annual Convention, Las Vegan, NV.

 

Walker, V. (October 2010). Blogging in Learning Communities: The Author Wrote Us Back!

      Presentation at Kidlitophere Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

 

State/Regional Conference Presentations:

Walker, V. (April 2013). What does it mean to be dis/abled?: Reading and

      responding to books with characters with disabilities. Presentation at the Minnesota

      Council of Teachers of English Conference, St. Cloud, MN.

Walker, V. (March 2012). Developing “rich” understandings of economics in the K-5

     classroom. Presentation at the Minnesota Council for the Teaching of Social Studies

     Conference, St. Cloud, MN.

 

Professional Service

Member, Student Conduct Board, Gustavus Adolphus College, Fall 2012-present.

Member, International and Domestic Program Committee, Gustavus Adolphus College, Fall

     2012-present.

 

Recent Professional Development

Minnesota Council for the Teachers of English, Minneapolis, MN, October 2012.

Minnesota Alliance for Geography Education, “Geofest,” St. Paul, MN, October 2012.

Minnesota Council of Teachers of English Fall Workshop, Plymouth, MN, October 2012.

Co-teaching Training, Bloomington, MN, June 2012.

Minnesota Council of Teaching Social Studies, Rochester, MN, March 2011.

Teacher Performance Assessment training, Summer 2011.

Minnesota National Council of Reading Meeting, January 2011.

Minnesota Association of Colleges of Education Conference, Minneapolis, MN, October 2010.