- Kate Peterson – Eastern Washington University – Students at EWU are predominantly from the Spokane region, but they do come from all over the state of Washington. EWU typically has students from a wide range of preparation levels. Some students are highly motivated and well-prepared, while other students are under-prepared and struggle meeting the English standards.
- LouAnn Reamer – Shadle Park High School – The 1390 students at Shadle Park High School are from the Northwest area of Spokane, and are primarily urban. The students who participated in this implementation of the toolkit item were seniors enrolled in English 12: Bridge to College class. This class is designed for students who did not standard on the state test or Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and, therefore, need a high level of guided practice with not only reading, but writing and communication skills as well. If students receive a B or higher in one semester of the course, they may enroll in English 101 without a placement test.
- Tim Roe – Spokane Community College – Students at Spokane Community College come from a wide range of backgrounds. The average student age is 29.5 years old, and about half of the students are in the career and technical program, while the other half are in the transfer program. We have running start, students right out of high school, and many returning students who often have families and a job. We have many students who are former military, have owned their own business, have worked traditional jobs, or who are re-entering the workforce.
Professional Experience
Kate Peterson – Eastern Washington University – I have been teaching at EWU since 2012. I began teaching as a graduate student while earning my MFA in poetry, and taught for the next three years as an adjunct. I have taught both composition and creative writing, and have been an advisor for EWU’s undergraduate literary magazine. I currently serve as a faculty mentor for the College in the High Schools program. I work a lot with podcasts in my classroom and found our tool to be very useful in getting students to think critically about the larger purpose of a text, podcast, film, etc.
LouAnn Reamer – Shadle Park High School – I have been teaching high school English for 31 years with the last 26 years at Shadle Park High School. I have a B.S. in Education, my M. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on instructional technology, and I am a National Board Certified Teacher in English/Lanugage Arts for Adoloscents and Young Adults. I have served as an Instructional Coach for literacy, a Reading/Writing Facilitator for cross-curricular instructional practices, and a Bridge to College Leader to provide and coordinate ongoing professional learning between high school and university partners.
Tim Roe – Spokane Community College – I have been teaching at SCC for three years, and previously spent seven years teaching at the university level. I have previously worked on other projects involving collaboration between high schools and colleges, including the New Mexico Teacher Exchange Program, and I was a team lead for the College in the High School Program through EWU. I also am currently a Higher Ed Partner for the Bridge to College Program. I have focused a lot of energy on the development of critical reading instruction in the composition classroom.
