EDUCATIONAL HISTORY MEGHAN A. KESSLER, PHD makessl2@uis.edu Ph.D., Curriculum & Instruction,, 2018 Dissertation: Teaching for the Test: Social Studies Student Teacher Enactment of High Stakes Performance Assessments Dissertation Director: Dr. Marilyn Parsons M.A., Teaching & Leadership, St. Xavier University, Chicago, 2012 Action Research Thesis: Reading Skills & Strategies for all Content Areas Granted: Illinois State Board of Education Teacher Leader Endorsements in Content Area Reading and Social Studies B.A., History and Secondary Education, Augustana College, 2008 Granted: State of Illinois Teaching License: Social Studies, Grades 6-12 AREAS OF RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL INTEREST Teacher education and evaluation (preservice through inservice), social studies education, induction and mentoring, social justice and equity in education, preservice field experiences, collaborative learning. ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS 2018 to present: Assistant Professor of Teacher Education Golden Apple Advisor Department of Teacher Education, College of Education and Human Services HONORS Outstanding Teaching Award for Teaching Assistants 2018 Teacher Ranked as Excellent by Students 2015-2018, A ranking provided based on student feedback on course evaluations. Graduate Student Conference Preconference Workshop, Selected Participant 2017 - Selected by peers and faculty members from the College of Education from an application utilizing writing samples. Participants were paired with a faculty mentor to refine scholarly writing. Seymour Stiss Fellowship Award, 2014 - Fellowship granted to outstanding social studies education graduate students. Western Illinois University Inspirational Teacher Award 2012
Monmouth-Roseville High School - Award granted to area teachers by the College of Education at Western Illinois University. Distinction granted based on nomination by students. UNIVERSITY TEACHING EXPERIENCE Instructor of Record (Graduate Teaching Assistantship) Spring 2016, 2018 CI404-T: Teaching and Assessing Secondary Students Social Studies, - Facilitated explorations of professional issues such as departmental relationships, teacher evaluation, professional organizations, interviews, and unions. Planned and taught student teaching seminar lessons on topics such as differentiation; assessment; inclusion; race, language, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality in the classroom; community involvement; and collegial relationships. Taught student teachers attending in online (2018) and blended formats (2016). Instructor of Record (Graduate Teaching Assistantship) Fall 2015, 2016, 2017 CI403-T Teaching Diverse High School Students Social Studies - Planned and delivered instruction on topics of high school teaching and learning such as handling controversial topics, collaborative and cooperative learning, accommodation for exceptional learners, discussion and questioning, thematic social studies instructional planning, and restorative practices. Engaged new preservice teachers in learning activities focused on lesson plan writing, Understanding by Design, Universal Design, and unit planning. Instructor of Record (Graduate Teaching Assistantship) Spring 2015 CI402-T: Teaching Diverse Middle Grades Students Social Studies - Planned and delivered instruction on topics of middle grades instruction such as interdisciplinary planning, classroom technology, content area literacy, and classroom management. Instructor of Record (Graduate Teaching Assistantship) Spring 2016, 2017 Graduate Teaching Assistant Fall 2014 CI401-T: Introduction to Teaching in a Diverse Society Social Studies - Planned and delivered instruction on professional topics relevant to new preservice teachers such as adolescent learners, teacher professional identity and philosophies, social justice, social privilege, teaching for civic engagement. Scheduled guest speakers to discuss technology integration, curriculum alignment, service learning, current conditions in the profession, and professional development opportunities. Supervisor for Student Teaching, Middle Grades and Secondary Spring 2015, 2016
- Served as a Danielson-Trained Supervisor of middle grades and high school student teachers (math, English, social studies). Planned and administered cohort professional development activities for student teachers, while serving as a liaison between the University and cooperating mentors and other placement staff. RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Dissertation Defended: April 4, 2018 Title: Teaching for the Test: Social Studies Student Teacher Enactment of High Stakes Performance Assessments - Utilized a multi-case study design and qualitative analysis to explore student teacher enactment of the edtpa Licensure Portfolio Assessment and Danielson Framework for Teaching. This study found that student teachers engaged in performative enactments of teaching practice when evaluations were perceived to be restrictive and measurement-focused. Co-Director, Illinois New Teacher Collaborative 2017-2018 - Rural Induction through Inquiry Initiative (Rural i2i) Supported by a grant from the Network to Transform Teaching o Semester-long development and study of a collaborative, hybrid teacher professional learning network. - Winter Leadership Summit Supported by a gift from the State Farm Foundation o A statewide learning and leadership conference for induction and mentoring program leaders in Illinois schools. - Beginning Teacher Conference Supported by a gift from the State Farm Foundation and the Meemic Foundation o A statewide professional learning conference for Illinois teachers in their first and second years of teaching. Research Assistant, Illinois New Teacher Collaborative 2016-2017 Supervisor: Dr. Annie Insana - Research projects: Teacher Professional Learning Constellations, early career teacher leadership and mentoring. Research Assistant, Collaborative Sketch Tools for Engineering Problem Solving 2015-2016 Funded by NSF Cyberlearning Program Award: 1441149 Supervisor: Dr. Emma Mercier - Assisted in data collection, data analysis, report writing, and presenting with an interdisciplinary team with colleagues from the College of Education and the College of Engineering. Co-taught TAM598, A class for Engineering Teaching Assistants on instructional methods and theories of collaborative learning.
K-12 TEACHING EXPERIENCE Social Studies and Speech Teacher (8-12) 2013-2014 Greenview Junior-Senior High School, Greenview, IL Coach, Varsity and Junior-Varsity WYSE Academic Challenge Teams Member, School Improvement Plan Committee Director, Greenview Junior-Senior High School History Fair Social Studies Teacher, Building RtI Coach (9-12) 2009-2013 Monmouth-Roseville High School, Monmouth, IL Building Response to Intervention Coordinator Member, School Improvement Committee Member, District Response to Intervention Committee 21 st Century Grant Book Club Leader 9 th Grade Freshman Seminar and Social Studies Teacher 2008-2009 Manual Talent Development High School and Freshman Academy, Peoria, IL - John s Hopkins University Talent Development Model High School. Participated in professional development on serving high needs students in urban settings, socialemotional learning, and standards-aligned classroom planning and instruction. PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS Kessler, M. (n.d.). The regulatory effects of measurement-driven accountability in preservice teacher evaluation. Manuscript in preparation. Mercier, E., Shehab, S., & Kessler, M. A. (n.d.). Learning to collaborate by collaborating? A longitudinal analysis of groups of engineering undergraduate students. Manuscript under review. Cronenberg, S., Harrison, D., Jones, A., Johnston-Parsons, M., Kessler, M., Parrish, M., & Murray-Everett, N., (n.d.). Teacher candidate tensions with the edtpa: Reflections on their experiences. Manuscript under review. Hebert, L., Insana, A., Jones, A., Kessler, M. A. (2018). Preparing the teacher educator: negotiating the tensions of teacher educator preparation within the research institution. In D. Yendol-Hoppey, D. T. Hoppey, & N. Fitchman Dana (Eds.), Preparing the next generation of teacher educators for clinically-intensive teacher preparation. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. In press. PEER-REVIEWED PRESENTATIONS Research Presentations
Kessler, M. A., Hebert, L., Sudibyo, L. (2019). Technology-mediated learning community for rural mentors. Paper accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators, Atlanta, GA. Accepted. Kessler, M. A., Jones, A., Insana, A., Hebert, L. (2019). Developing as teacher educators within the research institution. Paper accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators, Atlanta, GA. Kessler, M. A. (2018). Changes and continuities: Case examples of student teacher perceptions of teacher evaluation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY. Kessler, M. A. (2018). The affordances and constraints of the Danielson Framework for use in student teaching supervision. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators, Las Vegas, NV. Kessler, M. A., Insana, A., Hebert, L. (2018). Developing new and experienced teachers into agents of change through collaborative inquiry communities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators, Las Vegas, NV. Insana, A., Kennett, K., & Kessler, M. A. (2017). Fostering whole career teacher development: Lessons (still being) learned from the Illinois New Teacher Collaborative. Paper presented at the annual meeting of Association of Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL. Kessler, M. A. (2017). Evidence of performativity in preservice teachers experiences with evaluation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, Urbana, IL. Kessler, M. A., Korson, S., Murray-Everett, N., & Johnston-Parsons, M. (2017). edtpa tug of war: Student perspectives on learning to teach. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Tampa, FL. Kessler, M. A. (2017). Performing the edtpa: The perceptions and practices of six teacher candidates. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL. Kessler, M. A. (2017). Performativity and performance assessments: Policy technologies at play. Paper presented at the Eighth Annual College of Education Graduate Student Conference, Urbana, IL. Kessler, M. A. (2017). Teacher candidate expectations and understandings prior to engaging with high stakes professional performance evaluations. Poster presented at the Eighth Annual College of Education Graduate Student Conference, Urbana, IL. Mercier, E. M., Ferguson, L., Kessler, M. A., & Shehab, S. S. (2016). The emergence of collaborative practices during a month of engineering problem solving activities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington D.C. Teaching Presentations and Workshops (selected)
Martin, J. L., & Kessler, M. A. (2018, September). Literacy tools to improve elementary student writing skills. One-hour in-service service for Hazel Dell Elementary teachers, District 186. Kessler, M. A. (2017). Critical questions and conversations: Scaffolding student exploration of sticky issues. Presented at the annual Meeting for the National Council for the Social Studies in San Francisco, CA. Kessler, M. A., & Hebert, L. (2017). Rural Induction through Inquiry (Rural i2i) webinar series. March 2018-May 2018. Presented on behalf of the Illinois New Teacher Collaborative, Champaign, IL. Hebert, L., & Kessler, M. A. (2017). Mentoring 101: Utilizing current research to support early career learning. Daylong in-service for teachers in the ROE 9 Schoolworks region, Rantoul, IL. Kessler, M. A. & Shehab, S., S. (2016). Collaborative learning: More than divide and conquer. July 2016. Presented at the Illinois New Teacher Collaborative Beginning Teacher Conference, Champaign, IL. Kessler, M. A. (2016). Facilitating student understanding of social issues through critical inquiry. Presented at the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies Teacher Seminar,, Urbana, IL. Kessler, M. A. (2016). Teaching with controversial issues. Presented at the Augustana College Beginning Teachers Workshop, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL. Kessler, M. A. (2015). Danielson observations: Tips from a trained evaluator. Presented at the Illinois New Teacher Collaborative Beginning Teacher Conference, Champaign, IL. Kessler, M. A. 2014). Teaching about American policy in the Middle East. Presented at the Center for Global Studies Teaching Current Events Workshop, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL. Kessler, M. A. & Hays, D. (2014). Teaching about the Indian Ocean in current events. Presented at the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Indian Ocean Teacher Workshop,, Urbana, IL. Kessler, M. A. & Hall, S. (2013). Content area reading skills and strategies. Presented at the Illinois Reading Council Conference, Springfield, IL. Bryan, J., Hall, S., Kessler, M. A. (2011). Response to Intervention at the secondary level (2011). Presented at the Illinois Principals Association Conference, Springfield, IL. SERVICE Participant, American Democracy Project, McCormick Foundation Grant National Center for Urban Education, College of Education Illinois State University
Member, SCOPE Teaching Subcommittee Member, Compassionate Schools Project Committee Member, Teacher Shortage Task Force College of Education and Human Services, Teacher Education Department Member, Student Research Committee Member, Department Personnel Committee College of Education and Human Services, Teacher Education Department Graduate Student Representative, Academic Program Committee 2017-2018 - Assisted in decisions related to courses, Graduate Handbook, and other College-level academic business. K-12 Educator Advisory Committee, International Outreach Council 2016-2018 Center for Global Studies,, - Assisted as a voice on behalf of preservice teacher education in the programming decisions of the Center for Global Studies and Area Studies Centers. Supported in the presentation of progress on US Department of Education grant-funded projects at the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies. Program Director, Innovators in Education Future Teacher Camp 2017 - Directed and helped plan camp experiences for 10 high school students interested in becoming teachers. Activities included workshops on international education practices, mini tutoring of elementary students, tours of local museums, and panel discussions with practicing teachers. Second Week for Secondary Professional Development Planning Committee 2016-2017 - Planned professional development workshops and seminars for preservice teachers. Topics included teacher professional organizations, collective bargaining, and policy decisions in education. Presented on the topic of teacher identity at the April 2017 Second Week for Secondary Professional Development series. Invited Speaker, The 21st Show 2016-2018 Illinois Public Radio, WILL - Invited speaker interviewed on the topic of Illinois teacher shortages and teacher attrition. Vice President, Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Student Organization 2016-2017 - Collaboratively planned professional development and social programming for Curriculum and Instruction graduate students and teaching assistants.
Teacher in Residence, Global Institute for Secondary Educators 2015, 2016 Center for Global Studies, - Participated in a summer institute for international Social Studies and English teachers, a program sponsored by the State Department of the United States Study of the US Institutes. Planned and facilitated the following professional development workshops: Group Work & Simulations, American Studies through Visual Media, Teaching with Primary Sources, Connecting History to Current Events, Curriculum Resources on American Diversity: Incorporating Interdisciplinary Methods. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS American Educational Research Association (Division K) National Council for the Social Studies Association of Teacher Educators Illinois Association of Teacher Educators Illinois Association of Colleges of Teacher Education Illinois Federation of Teachers Illinois Education Association