Susan M. Meyers

Academic Consultant

Email: smmeyers@uci.edu
phone: 949.580.6381
office: Education 2022

Biography

I have been involved in our teacher credential programs since 1986, first as a Supervisor of Teacher Education whose primary responsibilities included guidance and assistance to our intern teacher candidates in their public school-based intern teaching assignments and the teaching of seminars and courses. My next roles were as Coordinator of the Intern Teacher Program, Coordinator of the Single Subject Student Teacher Program and Coordinator of the Multiple Subject Teacher Program. During those years, I had responsibility for overseeing teacher candidates throughout their program from admission until completion of student/intern teaching assignments. I also taught foundations courses and seminars.

In 2001, I assumed the position of Director of the Multiple Subjects Teacher Credential Program. Since then, I have been responsible for program admission, design, curriculum, and evaluation as well as for the faculty who teach in the program. I work closely with the Director of the Single Subject Teacher Credential Program to assure that all of our teacher candidates engage in a sound, coherent teacher preparation program that effectively prepares them for the challenges and rewards of teaching in our Kindergarten-Grade 12 elementary and secondary schools. I also collaborate with our Program Coordinators and other faculty who have day-to-day responsibility for counseling and instructing our teacher candidates. Each year, we prepare approximately 100 new multiple subjects teachers.

I am also responsible for compliance of our program with State of California educational code and the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing (CTCC) "Standards for Quality and Effectiveness of Teacher Preparation Programs." This includes the accreditation review of our program that occurs on a regular basis. In addition, I collaborate with the Deans and Directors of the departments and schools of education on the other 8 University of California campuses. As a group, we strive to have a positive impact on national, state and regional policy related to education in general and to teacher preparation specifically. I also interact with my colleagues at the Orange County Department of Education and with my counterparts at the other public and private universities in Orange County that prepare teachers. Finally, I collaborate closely with public school districts, their administrators and teachers to identify the best possible public school placements for our student teachers.

I am committed to providing the best teacher preparation program possible for our candidates who come to us with strong academic backgrounds, a wealth of experience in working with children and a passion for learning and teaching. I work with all our faculty and staff to provide a program that includes the following emphases: sound theory and research translated into effective practice to meet the needs of all students; sound planning for effective performance; and critical analysis and problem solving.

My career as an educator continues to be a challenging, exciting, rewarding and worthwhile endeavor, even after 30 years in the profession. I encourage all who may be interested in teaching to pursue a career in education.

Professional Experience

2001-Present		Director, Multiple Subjects Credential Program Department of Education, University of California, Irvine
1999-2001		Coordinator, Multiple Subjects Credential Program Department of Education, University of California, Irvine
1993-1999		Coordinator, Intern Teacher Program Department of Education, University of California, Irvine
1993-1997		Coordinator, Single Subject Credential Program Department of Education, University of California, Irvine
1986-1993		Supervisor, Intern Teacher Program, and Instructor Department of Education, University of California, Irvine
1986-1989		Supervisor, Student Teacher Program Department of Elementary Education, California State University, Fullerton
1985-1989		Instructor, Reading/Composition Division of Literature and Language Orange Coast Community College
1986-1987		Instructor, Writing and Special Programs Saddleback Community College
1977-1985		Instructor, Communications, Composition, Developmental Skills: Reading, Mathematics, Language Arts, Social Science and Science; Consultant, Elementary Reading Wisconsin Indianhead Community College Rice Lake, Wisconsin
1976-1977		Graduate Assistant: Learning Resource Center Coordinator University of Wisconsin, Superior Superior, Wisconsin
1974-1975		Instructor, Middle and High School English Webster Unified School District Webster, Wisconsin
January-June, 1974		Intern Teacher, High School English Stillwater Unified School District Stillwater, Minnesota

Presentations

Becoming a Professional Educator, Presentations for Sociology of Education and Graduate Education in the 21st Century, UCI Undergraduate Courses, fall 2001

Professional Expectations for Pre-Service Teachers, 1999 to present

Entering the Teaching Profession: Preparation for Interviews and Job Fair for Multiple and Single Subject Student Teachers and Interns, April 1995 to April 1998

Teaching Values through Multicultural Children's Literature, North American Adult and Adolescent Reading Conference, 1994 (Sponsored by IRA), Paper Accepted

Creating a Multicultural Library, Teachers Learning and Loving It Conference (Chapman University Reading Center and Orange County Teachers Applying Whole Language) June, 1993

Building a Multicultural Classroom Library, Orange County Reading Association, Spring, 1993 Conference

Creating a Multi-Cultural Classroom Library, Orange County Reading Association and Teachers Learning and Loving It Conferences, Paper and Bibliography, 1993

Creating a Whole Language Arts Program, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, 1993

Cooperative Learning in Adult Reading and Basic Education Classes, Association of Adult Literacy Conference, Washington, D.C., 1992

Cooperative Learning Strategies for Adult Reading Courses, First Annual North American Adult and Adolescent Reading Conference, Washington, D.C., 1990 (Sponsored by IRA)

Courses Taught

• Ed 105A Curriculum and Methods for Elementary School Reading

Teaching an integrated reading/language arts program in the elementary classroom. Implementing theories, principles, and methods which are research and reality-based. Creating a child-centered, language-rich program to meet needs of children in multicultural/multilingual settings.



• Ed 105B Reading and Writing in the Middle School and High School Classrooms

Emphasis is placed upon understanding the literacy processes (listening, speaking, thinking, reading, and writing) as they relate to all Single Subject areas. Teachers are guided to integrate literacy-related strategies with curriculum-based goals supported in the California State Frameworks.



• Ed 174 Observation and Participation in Diverse Secondary Schools

Fieldwork experiences especially designed to provide student teacher candidates with an active learning context prior to student teaching with emphasis on diversity, expert teaching, procedures and routines of schooling, and knowledge about student developmental levels and educational needs.



• Ed 180 Preparation for Teaching in the Secondary School

Secondary curriculum and methodology, including instructional planning, teaching strategies, classroom management, evaluation, cultural and linguistic considerations and interpersonal skills. Application of these to fieldwork experience in preparation for teaching responsibilities assumed in secondary schools.



• Ed 184A Direct Field Experiences

Observation, participation, and teaching in diverse public school classrooms. Application of theory and pedagogy in fieldwork classrooms.



• Ed 194 Observation and Participation in Diverse K-6 Schools

Fieldwork experiences especially designed to provide student teacher candidate with an active learning context prior to student teaching with emphasis on diversity, expert teaching, procedures and routines of schooling, and knowledge about student developmental levels and educational needs.



• Ed 300A-E Student Teaching in the Elementary School

Student teaching experiences including orientation, seminars, and preparation for and assumption of classroom instructional responsibilities in accordance with State credentialing requirements and in conjunction with second semester of public school calendar. Education 300A-B is for 10 weeks, four days a week; Education 300C-D-E is for 10 weeks, five days a week until the end of the public school year.



• Ed 310A-E Intern Teaching in the Elementary School

Must be admitted to the UCI Department of Education and offered an intern teacher contract from a cooperating school district.



• Ed 320A-E Student Teaching in Intermediate/Secondary School

Student teaching experience to include orientation, seminars, and preparation for and assumption of secondary school classroom instructional responsibilities in accordance with State credentialing requirements and in conjunction with the public school calendar. Education 320A-E is five days a week for a full second semester of the public school year



• Ed 330A-E Intern Teaching in the Secondary School


Must be admitted to the UCI Department of Education and offered an intern teacher contract from a cooperating school district.

Special Projects

Co-Writer of DOE Teacher Credential Program Response to Senate Bill 2042/CTCC Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Teacher Preparation Programs, 2001-2003

Member of PACT (Performance Assessment for California Teachers), a Consortium of UC and other CSU and Private IHE Teacher Preparation Programs, in Response to CTCC 2042 Requirements, 2001-Present

Chair of UCI Teacher Credential Program Committee on Embedded Signature Assignments and Member of PACT ESA Committee, 2003-Present

Member of Orange County Teacher Preparation/Induction Collaborative, 2002-Present

Member of Advisory Committee for SAUSD TEACH Academy, 2002-Present

Member of Advisory Committee for NMUSD Induction Program, 2003-Present

Member of Advisory Committee for SVUSD Induction Program, 2003-Present

Co-Writer of Teacher Credential Program Handbook, 2003-Present

Collaboration on Technology Grant: Preparing Teachers for Implementing Technology, 2000-2002

Editor of On the Cutting Edge, the Intern Teacher Program Newsletter, 1989-1999

Advisor, Teachers of Tomorrow Club, 1995-1997

Mentor, UCI Cross Cultural Center, 1991-1997

Editor of Didactics, the DOE Newsletter, 1991-1993