Assistant Professor
Director of Graduate Teacher Education

Education

B.A., Asian Studies, University of Michigan, 1989
M.A., Japanese Studies, University of Michigan, 1995
MI K-12 Teaching certificate, Japanese & history, Eastern Michigan University, 1999
Ph.D., Comparative Education, Michigan State University, 2005

Recent Awards and Achievements

• Japanese Teachers Association of Michigan Board Member, 1998-present
• Michigan Directors and Representatives of Teacher Education Programs representative, 2004-present
• Michigan Department of Education Voluntary Administrator Certification Work Group member, 2007-present
• Publications:
  • “Teacher Learning for Curriculum Reform in Japan:  A Case of Continuous Improvement” (dissertation), published in 2009 by VDM in Saarbrucken, Germany
  • “Teacher Accountability and Curriculum Reform in Japan: A Multi-Level Analysis of the Rainbow Plan,” pp. 191-213 in M.T. Tatto, Ed., Reforming Teaching Globally, 2007, Oxford, England:  Symposium Books.
  • “Educational Reform in Japan and Its Influence on Teachers’ Work,” in International Journal of Educational Research, 45(4-5), 209-301, June 2007
• Dean’s Scholar Award, Michigan State University, 2000-03
• Excellence in Education Award, Kellogg Foundation, 1996, 2000
• Lived & worked in Japan for a total of about 2 years (over the course of 7 visits)
• Visited Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Canada, & Mexico

Teaching Philosophy

“I believe in meeting students where they are, per the Dominican philosophy, and then encouraging them to stretch and grow to their potential, mostly through modeling and positive reinforcement. I am tough in pushing students to reach high standards, but try to always be fair and encouraging. I learn something from each of my students! Each of them has so much to contribute. In the current education “marketplace,” students are my customers, and I strive to give them excellent customer service.”