The Hood Children's Literacy Project

Hood Project Faculty and Staff

Project Administration:

Ellyn Ruthstrom, Project Manager; and Editor of Currents in Literacy

Ms. Ruthstrom has been on the administrative staff at Lesley College for four years. Before joining the Hood Project, she was the Executive Administrative Assistant for the Dean of the School of Education for two years. Her background in publications includes editorial work in the national office of the American Association of University Women, the Middle East Economic Digest, and Woman of Power magazine. She received her M.A. in Women's Studies from The Ohio State University and has a continuing interest in contemporary girls' coming of age literature.

Dr. William Stokes, Project Director

Dr. Stokes holds a doctorate in Applied Psycholinguistics and was Director of the Elementary Education program within the School of Education, 1982-1997. Since 1988, Dr. Stokes has been co-director of the annual Literacy Institute. He has directed projects for the professional development of teachers supported by State (DOE) and corporate grants (Bank of New England). Emergent literacy is his principal area of interest, and he has undertaken research on language development and literacy for more than 20 years. Current areas of exploration include how children become literate in social contexts of home and school as well as the conditions of second language acquisition and consequences for literacy (and bi-literacy) for linguistic minority children. Recent publications include "Speaking English is Not Enough: Understanding the Language Histories of Linguistic Minority Students with Learning Disabilities;" "Pedagogy, Power, Politics: Literate Practice Online;" and Linguistic History Profile (with Maria de Lourdes Serpa); "Pedagogies of Possibility." Influenced by the psycho-socio-linguistic research of Marie Clay and others, Dr. Stokes is deeply interested in the work of Reading Recovery, the ELLI Program, and other comprehensive approaches to the implementation of balanced literacy programs in elementary schools. Dr. Stokes is also interested in the relationship of language and power: he is a co-editor of a new volume of essays entitled Mentoring the Mentor: A Critical Dialogue with Paulo Freire (1997) including a chapter entitled "Progressive Teacher Education: Consciousness, Identity and Knowledge." He is co-editor of a special edition of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice dedicated in memory of Paulo Freire.

Faculty:

Dr. Elaine Bukowiecki

Dr. Bukowiecki is assistant professor within the School of Education. She teaches courses in literacy, early literacy, and an advanced course in the graduate Consulting Teacher of Reading Program. She also directs the reading and language arts instruction for the Compass program, a summer program co-sponsored by Lesley University and the city of Cambridge. A former classroom teacher and language arts coordinator for more than twenty years, Dr. Bukowiecki has consulted with school systems concerning language arts strategies and early childhood education, as well as presented at conferences of educators. Her research interests remain in early childhood education and language arts instruction, and classroom diversity.

Dr. Susan Fleming

Dr. Susan Fleming holds a Master's degree in Education from Harvard University, a C.A.G.S. from Boston University in elementary school reading, and a Ph.D. from Lesley University where she focused her research on children's writing. Her teaching experience includes working with the mentally handicapped in a state institution, classroom teaching in public schools in New York and Massachusetts, and numerous writing workshops for elementary schoolchildren of all ages. Dr. Fleming is a former editor for the Elementary Education Department at Houghton Mifflin and has published three novels for 8-12 year olds (Westminster Press) and several articles in professional journals. Currently she is an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University where she teaches courses in children's literature and the teaching of writing.

Dr. Irene Fountas

Director of ELLI Training, Dr. Fountas is a professor and the Director of the Lesley University Center for Reading Recovery. Nationally known for her expertise in literacy and early interventions, Dr. Fountas also co-directs the Summer Literacy Institute held annually at the University. An author of numerous articles and books and a frequent presenter at national conferences, Dr. Fountas' interests lie in a language-based view of teaching and learning, literature-based reading, and literacy theory. She has co-authored Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children (Heinemann 1996) with Dr. Gay Su Pinnell of The Ohio State University and Word Matters: Teaching Phonics and Spelling in the Reading/Writing Classroom (Heinemann 1998). Prior to joining Lesley University, she was a teacher and language arts consultant in the public schools and continues to work in numerous school districts helping teachers and administrators develop child-centered literacy programs.

Roberta Jackson

Ms. Jackson is an Assistant Professor at Lesley University where she teaches courses in Special Education, Elementary Education, and Supervision. She has been the University Coordinator to the Boston Higher Education Partnership for five years and served as the co-chairperson for two years. She was also Education Coordinator for Olaleye Communications, where she developed multicultural curriculum for public school students. Ms. Jackson is also a board member with the Art of Black Dance and Music, and the Greater Boston Association for Retarded Citizens. Ms. Jackson holds degrees from Lesley University and the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and she has completed coursework at Boston College towards a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership.

Dr. Mary McMackin

Dr. McMackin has been a faculty member in the School of Education since 1989, teaches literacy courses at the graduate level and also serves as the coordinator of the portfolio program. Dr. McMackin has also been a liaison to a Lesley University Professional Development School. She is a consultant for several school districts and has presented at international, national, regional and local conferences. Her publications have appeared in Childhood Education (topic: parents' role in early literacy education), The Clearing House (report writing), The Leaflet (portfolio assessment), Resources in Education (portfolio assessment), Equity and Excellence in Education (with co-author Elaine Bukowiecki - modifications for students with learning differences). In addition, she co-authors a column in the New England Reading Association Journal, in which she and Alison Blackwell review current educational publications. Mary serves as the Lesley University representative to the Massachusetts Association of College for Teacher Education (MACTE) and is a member of the board of that organization. She is also the treasurer for the Massachusetts Association of College and University Reading Educators (MACURE) and is on the Executive Board of the New England Reading Association (NERA). She recently served on the Massachusetts Reading Association (MRA) Board of Directors, as chair of the Parents and Reading Committee.

School Administration:

Barbara Fischer Long

Principal at the Hardy School in Arlington, Massachusetts, Ms. Fischer Long holds an M.Ed. from Antioch College in Ohio. She has 15 years teaching experience in Illinois and Massachusetts and has been the principal of the Hardy School for 13 years. She has competed additional graduate work at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Michael McCabe

Principal at the Thompson School in Arlington, Massachusetts, Mr. McCabe holds an M.S. in education and a C.A.G.S. in Educational Leadership and Technology from Lesley University. He has 12 years teaching experience and has been principal of the Thompson School for 15 years. He is an active participant in the Principals Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, serving as Group Leader and Co-Chair.

Dr. Jose M. Figueiredo

Principal at the Harrington School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dr. Figueiredo holds an Ed.D. from Boston University and an M.A. from Boston College. He has been principal at the Harrington for 10 years, teaches courses on Portuguese language and culture at the University of Lowell, and was the coordinator of Bilingual Education with the Cambridge School Department for fourteen years.