This episode features Keeley Baronak, PhD, Chair of Carlow University’s Department of Education and Executive Director of the University’s Campus School. During our conversation, Dr. Baronak recounted a moment when an eighth-grade student admitted he couldn’t read and the scribbles on the printed page had absolutely no meaning for him. This encounter set Dr. Baronak on a path of discovery, not just for the best practices for reading instruction, but also for an understanding of the science of learning. She infuses her passion for knowledge and caring for students in her work with undergraduate, graduate, and practicing teachers. “These are difficult times for the profession,” she says, “and we must think outside the narrow boxes we have constructed for our work with students.” In the face of teacher shortages, many states are experimenting with alternatives to the traditional preparation and certification of teachers. “It’s crucial,” she says, “that those of us in university teacher education programs reach out and work cooperatively with school districts to assure the availability of qualified and competent educators.”
