The Treasure Hunter

I was born and grew up in New York City where I was born and grew up where education was mediocre at the time. But Joanne was born and grew up in New York City were education’s mediocre at the time.But free extra curricular activities were widely available to young people. When I was still a child I wrote poetry which I thought I was good at the time. But free extra curricular activities were widely available to young people. Wen I was still a child I wrote poetry which I thought I was good at it, and loved watching sports

Tion was mediocre the time. But free extra curricular activities we’re widly available to young people

tion was mediocre at the time. But free extra-curricular activities were widely available to young people. Wen I was still a child I wrote poetry which I thought I was good at, and loved watching sports, even though I couldn’t throw a ball, and I tripped over my own feet when I didnt watch a xxx

In 1952 I graduated from Douglass College, then known as “New Jersey College for Women,” with a degree in English and Dramatic Arts. I wasted no time in getting married, becoming a teacher, and producing my own three children. My husband and I  also adopted a dog and a cat for our home.When I had spare time I took xxx courses in education to become certified.

In 1959 my husband and I moved to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where my husband was a professor at the College of Agriculture. I was offered a job teaching English as a Foreign Language in a middle school, and I took it. After two years in Puerto Rico we returned to New Jersey and Rutgers University, where my husband completed his Ph.D. and I earned an M.A. in English. I also returned to teaching, taking on grades 5, 6,and 7 at an elementary school, and later grade 8 at a middle school.

In 1963, when my husband was offered a job at the University of Wisconsin, we moved there, sent our children to public schools, and I continued as a middle school English teacher. In 1966 I was offered the job of English Department Chair at a newly built high school and I accepted it with pleasure. While I was a             high school teacher I began working on a Doctorate at the U.W. in Curriculum Development and Applied Linguistics. During that time I also bore my fourth child.

In 1974 I received my Ph.D. and decided that I wanted to be a school principal instead of continuing as a teacher. I applied for a job at a nearby elementary school and was excepted. I stayed at that school for 13 years, loving every minute, and then I was selected as Wisconsin’s Elementary Principal of the Year, in 1985. During that time I also began writing articles about education.

Three years later my husband and I moved to Portland, Oregon where he had been offered a new fine   job. I found a place to be the superintendent/principal of a small rural district with only one elementary school and one middle school. I continued writing and loving my job. During my 12 years as a supt./prin. I was appointed to the National Reading Panel and served on it until 2000.

Physically I became worn out, but not tired of teaching education too students, A year later I retired from my job and started as a part time adjunct professor at Portland State University. I also began to visit elementary classrooms in order to write about good teaching at that level. My results were three books for teachers. In 2004 I was elected Vice President of the National Council of Teachers of English and moved up to president in 2006. Over all those years and now, I continue to care deeply about the profession I’ve served. I will be a critic of its faults and a supporter of its strengths as long as my head and hands still work together.