Academics
Education Faculty
Mary Beth Doyle
Department Chair
Associate Professor of Education
B.S., M.Ed. State University College of New York at Buffalo; Ph.D. University of Minnesota
Dr. Doyle's primary teaching responsibilities at Saint Michael’s are with secondary education undergraduate and graduate students. Her areas of specialty include working with students who experience severe disabilities and collaborative teaming. This work involves creating curricular adaptations to support students in inclusive classroom communities. In addition, Dr. Doyle presents and writes extensively on the roles and responsibilities of paraprofessionals in public schools.
Saint Edmund's Hall 314
Phone: 802.654.2279
Box 281
E-mail: mdoyle@smcvt.edu
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Aostre Johnson
Professor of Education
A.B. Harvard University; M.Ed. Harvard Graduate School of Education;
Ed.D. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Dr. Johnson's areas of specialization are curriculum and pedagogy, lifespan development, early childhood education and ethical, religious and spiritual dimensions of education. She teaches courses in both the graduate and the undergraduate education departments, coordinates the graduate curriculum concentration and elementary licensure program and also directs the program on spirituality and education. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a major in social relations and received her master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She then founded and taught in innovative university laboratory schools and other schools for a number of years before earning her doctorate in education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a focus on curriculum and foundations. She has published a number of articles relating to creative, ethical, religious and spiritual dimensions of development and education.
Saint Edmund’s Hall 322A
Phone: 802.654.2436
Box 281
E-mail: ajohnson@smcvt.edu
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Valerie Bang-Jensen
Associate Professor of Education
A.B. Smith College; M.A., Ed.M., Ed.D. Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Bang-Jensen joined the Education Department at Saint Michael’s College in 2001. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in elementary literacy and supervises student teachers in local schools. Areas of professional interest include children’s literature, nonfiction, and first-hand learning experiences. She hopes to develop a children’s literature garden at Saint Michael’s with Biology Department colleague, Mark Lubkowitz. Before joining the Saint Michael’s faculty, she taught literacy courses to pre-service and in-service teachers at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has taught kindergarten through grade 6 in public and independent schools and served as a literacy and assessment consultant for schools, districts and museums.
Saint Edmund’s Hall 320
Phone: 802.654.2822
Box 281
E-mail: vbang-jensen@smcvt.edu
Project Site: The Teaching Gardens of Saint Michael's College
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Laima Ruoff
Associate Professor of Education
B.A. University of Rochester; M.S. University of Wisconsin-Madison;
Ph.D. University of Washington-Seattle
Dr. Ruoff joined the education department in 1981. She teaches child development to both undergraduate and graduate students in the elementary licensure programs and supervises student teachers in local elementary schools. Areas of professional interest include child development, supervision/mentoring of student teachers, effective teacher preparation and English as a second language. Dr. Ruoff enjoys engaging in a variety of outdoor activities with her husband and two grown children.
Saint Edmund's Hall 335
Phone: 802.654.2278
Box 281
E-mail: lruoff@smcvt.edu
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Tim Whiteford
Associate Professor of Education
Ph.D. University of Illinois
Dr. Whiteford joined the Education Department at Saint Michael’s College in 2005. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in elementary school math and supervises students in local area schools. Areas of professional interest include the role of language in mathematics, the multicultural aspects of math and the dynamics of teaching math to students from disadvantaged homes. Before coming to Saint Michael’s College he was a professional development specialist in math education for the South Burlington and Burlington School districts, a science education specialist for the Williston School District and a professor of education at Trinity College of Vermont.
Saint Edmund's Hall 316
Phone: 802.654.2744
Box 281
E-mail: twhiteford@smcvt.edu
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Kristin M. Gehsmann
Assistant Professor of Education
B.S., M.S. Central Connecticut State University; Ed.D. University of Vermont
Dr. Gehsmann joined the Education Department of Saint Michael’s College in 2006. A specialist in literacy development and assessment, she teaches literacy courses to education majors and oversees graduate students seeking the reading specialist endorsement in a practicum course. She also coordinates the graduate program in reading education. Dr. Gehsmann’s research interests include: literacy education, professional development, closing the literacy achievement gap in high-poverty communities, and school improvement. An educational consultant of Gehsmann Educational consulting, 2002-present, Gehsmann has consulting relationships with schools throughout the state.
Saint Edmund's Hall 322B
Phone: 802.654.2412
Box 281
E-mail: kgehsmann@smcvt.edu
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James Nagle
Assistant Professor of Education
B.A. Georgetown University; M.A., Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, J.D. Suffolk University Law School
Dr. Nagle joined the Education Department at Saint Michael’s College in 2004. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in secondary education and supervises student teachers in local schools. Areas of professional interest include teacher learning, professional learning communities and teacher professional development. Before joining the Saint Michael’s faculty, he taught science education courses to pre-service teachers at University of California, Berkeley and professional development courses to middle and high school teachers. He has taught biology, ecology, chemistry and physics in public and independent schools and served as a science and assessment consultant for schools.
Saint Edmund's Hall 302
Phone: 802.654.2636
Box 281
E-mail: jnagle2@smcvt.edu
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Claudine R. Bedell
Assistant Professor of Education
B.S. Purdue University; M.Ed. Saint Michael's College; Ed.D. Indiana University
Dr. Bedell teaches Adolescent Development for undergraduates, and The Decision to Teach, Classroom Assessment Design and Practice, and the Student Teaching Seminar for graduate students. She also supervises student teachers in the field. Her doctorate is from Indiana University in Bloomington, in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Her dissertation is titled, “A Qualitative Study of Teacher Interpretation and Instructional Decision-Making in Response to Student Voice." Dr. Bedell co-authored a teacher’s guide, “Using Standards in Your Classroom: A Teacher Resource Guide,” for the Vermont Department of Education, and she made conference presentations with colleagues titled “Teacher Quality Enhancement” and “Middle Frame for School Improvement.” She is particularly interested in personalized learning and the concept of teacher dispositions.
Saint Edmund's Hall 304
Phone: 802.654.2741
Box 281
E-mail: cprairie@smcvt.edu
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Jonathan Silverman
Assistant Professor of Education
B.S., M.S., Ed.D. University of Vermont
Coordinator of the Arts in Education program, Dr. Silverman's areas of interest are arts education, aesthetic perspectives on education, interdisciplinary curriculum, creativity and foundation. He strives to help students become “more imaginative, resourceful and critically reflective practitioners.” His philosophy is that the arts offer members of society a viable way to become knowledgeable, literate and morally responsible. His courses include Aesthetic Perspectives on Culture and Education, Arts: The Creative Process, Educator as Artist, and Student Teaching Seminar.
Saint Edmund's Hall 308
Phone: 802.654.2306
Box 281
E-mail: jsilverman@smcvt.edu
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Anne Judson
Instructor of Education
B.A. Rutgers University; M.Ed. Tufts University; Ed.D. University of Vermont
Dr. Judson is director of the graduate programs in education and coordinator of the technology in education program. Her master’s and doctoral concentrations were in child development and educational administration respectively. Her areas of interest are the impact of technology on learning, professional development (pre-service and in-service) and the impact of the 2002 “No Child Left Behind” law on K-12 schools. Among the courses she teaches are Integrating Technology into the Curriculum, Introduction to Educational Research, Capstone Seminar and Student Teaching Seminar. She enjoys hiking, yoga and drawing.
Saint Edmund's Hall 310
Phone: 802.654.2611
Box 281
E-mail: ajudson@smcvt.edu
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Amy Saks Pavese
Instructor of Education
B.A., M.Ed. University of Notre Dame
Ms. Saks Pavese joined the education faculty at Saint Michael’s College in August of 2007. She teaches Schools and Society for undergraduates and The Decision to Teach for graduate students. Her dissertation research is on teacher identity formation and the preparation of teachers to work with students from culturally diverse backgrounds. Ms. Saks Pavese’s interest in these areas stemmed from her own experiences as a classroom teacher in urban and culturally diverse schools and her work with the College Assistance Migrant Program, a scholarship program for first-generation college freshmen from migrant backgrounds. Before joining the Saint Michael’s faculty, she taught social foundations of education and supervised student teachers at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Saint Edmund's Hall 318
Phone: 802.654.2648
Box 281
E-mail: asakspavese@smcvt.edu
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Karen Donovan
Visiting Instructor of Education
Licensing Coordinator
B.S. Keene State College; M.Ed. University of Vermont
Ms. Donovan has worked as recreation director, adaptive physical educator, elementary educator and special educator over the past 25 years. She joined the Education Department in 2002. Currently she is teaching and supervising students in special education for the Graduate Education Program and serves as the Licensing Coordinator for the Education Department. Her area of interest is in special education. Ms. Donovan has two children and her husband is a forester.
Saint Edmund's Hall 306
Phone: 802.654.2826
Box 281
E-mail: kdonovan@smcvt.edu
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Rebecca Wigglesworth
Visiting Instructor of Education
B.A. Stanford University; M.A.T. Brown University
Ms. Wigglesworth has taught in the Education Department since 1999, when she began teaching Content Area Literacy for the graduate program. She is a part-time instructor teaching both graduate and undergraduate students. Ms. Wigglesworth is particularly interested in literacy at the middle and secondary levels. She began her career as a secondary English teacher, most recently at Champlain Valley Union High School in Vermont. She coordinates placements at CVU and other schools in the area.
Saint Edmund's Hall 316
Phone: 802.654.2495
Box 281
E-mail: bwigglesworth@smcvt.edu
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Judith Hillman
Retired Professor of Education
B.S., M.Ed. University of Missouri; Ph.D. University of Nebraska
Dr. Hillman's fields of expertise are literacy development, children’s literature, literacy assessment and the supervision of student-teachers. She teaches courses in the teaching of reading and writing and has published a text, Discovering Children’s Literature. Married to a psychologist and the mother of three children, Dr. Hillman sings in several choral groups and is a minister of music in her church.