Zoë Romero Becker graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2021 with a Literacy Education and Mathematics Education double major. She also pursued courses in the English as a Second Language program. Through the TESOL program, Zoë has studied abroad in Passau, Germany and in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she volunteered as a teacher’s assistant in an English language classroom. She is interested in studying the methods and strategies of teaching mathematics around the world in comparison to the United States and is currently researching the influence of mentorship with first generation and low-income STEM scholars.
Zoë served as secretary for the Mathematics Education Club, coordinating a conference at EWU and a club trip to the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). She has also traveled to present her research paper, “The Prevalence and Use of Bilingual Books in the General Classroom” at the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) and has served as President of the Eastern Reading Council for the past two years. She is currently advocating to place two Little Free Libraries on campus and working on the Recruitment Committee for the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE to recruit and include diverse members in the organization. In addition, Zoë has worked as an English tutor to Chinese children online, a Teacher’s Assistant in the EWU Mathematics Education Program, and completed practicum placements at various locations throughout Spokane County. She has also accepted an English teaching internship in Nicaragua. On top of all of that, she has volunteered with the Page Ahead Literacy Program, Junior Achievement, Financial Literacy Program, Spokane Math Classics, and Girls on the Run.
For her 2020 McNair Summer Research Internship, Zoë worked under the mentorship of Dr. Gina Mikel Petrie, Associate Professor and Program Director for Teaching English as a Second Language at EWU, as well as Dr. Jacqueline Coomes, Professor and Special Assistant to the Provost for the EWU Honors Program. Zoë plans to go on to attain her Master's and PhD in education to have the greatest possible impact on future students and the educational system.
2020 EWU Faculty Research Mentors: Dr. Gina Petrie and Dr. Jacqueline Coomes
Research Title: Implicit Bias of Elementary School Teachers Regarding Race and Ethnicity
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore what implicit biases current elementary school teachers have, specifically biases regarding race/ethnicity at pivotal times in students' learning. This study analyzes themes that emerge from surveys and interviews from fourth grade teachers regarding their biases, teaching practices, and professional development that may impact their differentiation and accomodation plans for student success. This study will employ the Harvard Implicit Bias Assessment for skin-color and qualitative interviews to identify the disconnect between the personal cultures of the teachers and the personal cultures of the students in relation to the teacher-student relationship.
