312 Williamson Hall, 313C
Cheney, WA 99004
(509) 359-6192 (office)
Education
Arizona State University
PhD. in Curriculum and Instruction: English Education. Committee Members: James Blasingame (Chair), Josephine Marsh, and Duane Roen. Dissertation Title: Bilingual Latino High School Boy’s Reading Motivation: Seven Case Studies Examining Factors that Influence Motivation to Read. Abstract: This multiple case, qualitative study examined factors affecting motivation of bilingual, Hispanic boys to read. The study was set in a large, diverse suburban high school in the Southwest. Data sources included interviews, a focus group, and a questionnaire. (August 2015).
University of Phoenix
Master of Arts in Education Degree.Curriculum and Instruction. Post Baccalaureate Teacher Education, Secondary. Thesis title:Reading in the classroom. Advisor: Sam Weinschenk. (October 2002).
University of Arizona
Bachelor of Arts in English Degree. Literature and composition. Minor: history. (May 1998).
Professional Appointments
Eastern Washington University
Assistant Professor of Literacy, Department of Education. (Fall 2015-present).
Teaching Interests
Methods of Teaching English- Language, Reading, & Writing
Content Area Literacy- Reading & Writing
Bilingual Education/Structured English Immersion
Middle School Curriculum and Organization
Adolescent Literature and Literacy
Digital Literacy
Secondary Teaching Experience
Mesa Public Schools
Certified English Teacher in 9th and 11th grade English, Skyline High School. (2012-2015).
Certified English Teacher 9th, 10th, and 11thgrade English, Community Education Summer School. (2005-2015).
Certified English Teacher in 8th grade and 8th grade honors English, Brimhall Junior High School. (2003-2011).
Certified English/World History Teacher 9th and 10th grade English/History block, Boulder Canyon High School. (2002-2003).
College Teaching Experience
Arizona State University
Teaching Assistant/Faculty Associate. Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
Clinical Instructor for the upper division education courses, Clinical Experience II and III, courses which guide education students as they complete internships and student teaching. (Spring 2015).
Instructor in the upper division education course, Middle School Curriculum and Organization, a course that examines the educational implications for diverse adolescent populations on middle-level organizations, instructional strategies and assessments. (Fall 2014).
Instructor in the upper division education course, Structured English Immersion for Secondary Students, a course that examines the foundations, assessments, English language learner proficiency standards, and strategies for teaching English Language Learners in the secondary classroom. (Fall 2013; Spring 2014).
Instructor for Children’s Literature/Elementary School Curriculum course, a course that focuses on selecting and using children’s literature to support the elementary school curriculum. The course covers the various genres of children’s literature, asks students to evaluate children’s literature for certain criteria, and consider application in the elementary school classroom. (Spring 2014; Spring 2012; Fall 2011).
Instructor in upper division course, Literacy Process in the Content Areas, a course that focuses on practices and principles for planning subject matter units that address literacy skills and learning with texts. (Fall 2013).
Instructor in the upper division course, Language Literacy 1 in Elementary Schools, a course that focused on instructional strategies for teaching reading using systematic, research-based phonics to aid decoding; vocabulary; and comprehension development; writing, speaking, and listening skills. (Spring 2012).
Instructor in the upper division course, Language Literacy 2 in Elementary Schools, a course that applies literacy strategies, including instruction and diagnostic assessment, literacy lessons, and classroom experiences.(Spring 2011; Fall 2010).
Faculty Associate. School of Letters and Sciences
Instructor in the upper division education course, Methods of Teaching English: Language, a course focused on the methods of instruction, organization and presentation of appropriate content in language and usage for junior and senior high schools. (Fall 2014; Fall 2013; Fall 2012).
Instructor in the upper division education course, Methods of Teaching Secondary Literature and Language, a course that emphasizes educational methods of planning, teaching, and assessing content in the instruction of secondary literature, literacy, and language usage. (Spring 2013).
Faculty Associate. English Education
Instructor for the upper division course, Methods of Teaching Language, a course focused on the methods of instruction, organization and presentation of appropriate content in language and usage for junior and senior high schools. (Spring 2013; Fall 2012).
Student Teacher Supervisor. English Education
Supervisor for student teachers in English education. Completed site visits and evaluations for student teachers. (Spring 2012; Fall 2011).
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Adjunct Faculty. Composition, Creative Writing, and Literature.
Instructor for Preparatory Academic Writing 3, a course that emphasizes preparation for first year composition with a focus on critical writing, reading, thinking skills, and processes. (Spring 2015, Fall 2014).
Instructor for English 101, a first year composition course with a focus on critical writing, reading, thinking skills, and processes. (Spring 2015).
Other Teaching Experience
Professional Development Instructor, Mesa Public Schools
Co-Instructor of Thinking Elements, a professional development class for Mesa Public Schools, composed of in-service teachers. Class completed as part of Arizona State Department of Education gifted endorsement requirements. (Summer 2014).
Research Interests
- Literacy Motivation (e.g. motivation to read, self-efficacy toward reading/writing)
- Literacy Practices of Marginalized Youth (e.g. boys, minority groups)
- Technology in the English Language Arts Classroom
- Young Adult Literature
- Writing Instruction
- Reading Instruction
- Issues in English Education
- Teacher Planning
- Mentoring
Publications
Journal Articles (Peer-Reviewed)
Shaffer, S. (In Press). One High School English Teacher: On His Way to a Flipped Classroom. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 59(5).
Nilsen, A. P., Blasingame, J. J., Donelson, K. L., Shaffer, S., Smith, T., & Wimmer, A. (2011). 2009 YA honor list—Timely and timeless. English Journal 100(3), 82-90.
Reviews (Peer-Reviewed)
Teylor-Antal, C., Williamson, M., Shaffer, S., Nilsen, D., Arter, L., Blasingame, J., Bawolek, S., & Casillas, B. (2011). Books for Adolescents. Journal for Adolescent and Adult Literacy.
Blasingame, J., Brannon, A., Turchi, L. B., Mullins, R., Shaffer, S., & Jones, A. (2011). Books for Adolescents. Journal for Adolescent and Adult Literacy.
Gillis, B., Shaffer, S., Ventura, E., Wermes, J., Perez, L., & Powell, M. (2011). Books for Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.
Blasingame, J., Votaw, M., Stolle, E. P., Miller, D. L., Peevey, H., & Shaffer, S. (2010). Books for Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.
Keifer, C., Shaffer, S., Miller, D. L., & Blasingame, J. (2010). Books for Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.
Miller, D., Shaffer, S., Blasingame, J., Nilsen, A. P., Arter, L. & Wolterbeek, E. (2010). Books for Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.
Walsh, L., Wolterbeek, E., Shaffer, S., Nilsen, A. P., Brannon, A., & Clifton, J. (2009). Books for Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.
Additional Manuscripts
Currently Under Review
Shaffer, S. L. Doing a somersault: One English language arts classroom transforms by flipping.
In Progress
Shaffer, S. L. Bullying literacy: Promoting awareness of student’s roles.
Shaffer, S. L. Living in an Imperfect World: Rethinking Adolescence through Dystopian Literature.
Shaffer, S. L. Motivation to read: Three case studies that examine factors in reading motivation.
Additional Data Collected
How do I feel about reading? Reflections and perceptions of middle school students (Case Study): This yearlong, mixed methods study examines the attitudes and practices of middle school students in regard to reading. Data collected from over 70 eighth grade students included various documents (test scores, completed assignments, and grades in class) and a pre/post survey on reading habits. Next step: data analysis.
Presentations at National Conferences
(Peer-reviewed proposals)
National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference
Shaffer, S.Bilingual Latino High School Boy’s Reading Motivation: Seven Case Studies Examining Factors that Influence Motivation to Read. (CEE Strand). Minneapolis, MN. Roundtable leader. (November2015).
Shaffer, S. Influences on Reading Proficiency and Motivation among Ethnically and Linguistically Diverse Boys: A Qualitative Inquiry into Diverse Middle School Boys’ Reading Habits and Achievement. Sharing our stories: The research and practice of English education graduate students (CEE Strand). Washington, DC. Roundtable presenter. (November 2014).
Shaffer, S. Helping our students write for today and the future. Boston, MA. Session Chair. (November 2014).
Shaffer, S. Flipping the ELA classroom. Digital tools and the promise of classroom transformation. Las Vegas, NV. Panel presenter. (November 2013).
Shaffer, S.Making connections: How teaching writing and reading in the context of CCSS can “pay off” on assessment. Las Vegas, NV. Session chair. (November 2014).
Literacy Research Association (LRA) Conference
Shaffer, S. The Dialogic Construction of Motivation: Three Case Studies that Examine Factors in Reading Motivation of Adolescent Teens. San Marco Island, FL. Roundtable presenter. (December 2014).
Marsh, J. P., Lammers, J. C., Kiefer, C., Miller, D. L., Tsoukatos, I., Shaffer, S., Wojtulewicz, J., & Gordenstein, A. Do we prepare students for freshman college literacy expectations? San Antonio, TX. Roundtable presenter.(December 2010).
National Council of Teachers of English Assembly for Research (NCTEAR) Mid-winter Conference
Shaffer, S. High school, bilingual Latino boys’ reading motivation: Six case studies examining factors that influence motivation to read fiction.” New Orleans, LA. Roundtable presenter. (February 2015).
Presentations at Local Conferences
Arizona English Teachers Association State Convention
Shaffer, S. Mesa, AZ. Exploring Adolescent Identity through Dystopian Narrative Writing. Session presenter. (September 2014).
Shaffer, S. Picturebooks in middle school and high school classrooms. Picturebook Writing for All. Mesa, AZ. Panelist. (September 2013).
Shaffer, S., & Rude, R. Cultural identity through storytelling and social justice projects. Mesa, AZ. Session presenter. (September 2012).
Shaffer, S., Jones, C. A., Williamson, M., & Turchi, L. Digital tools and the promise of classroom transformation. Mesa, AZ. Session presenter. (September 2012).
Shaffer, S.Beyond the book report: Bringing self-selected reading projects into your curriculum. Mesa, AZ. Session presenter. (September 2011).
Shaffer, S., Nilsen, A. P., Nilsen, D., & Miller, D. L. Recycling words, plots, and propaganda. Mesa, AZ. Session presenter. (September 2010).
Arizona State University, Language and Literacy Conference
Shaffer, S.Helping students to rediscover the joy of reading: Providing time to read in class. Tempe, AZ. Roundtable presentation. (February 2014).
Williams, W.R., & Shaffer, S.Active participation: Novel strategies that kids will love. Tempe, AZ. Roundtable Co-Presenter. (February 2011).
Shaffer, S. & Daniels, M. Giving voice to your invisible writers. Tempe, AZ. Roundtable presenter. (February 2010).
Other Conference Roles
National Council for Teachers of English
Annual conference. Roundtable respondent. “The Future is Now: Exploring 21st-Century Teaching Ideas with the Next Generation of English Teachers.” Sponsored by the CEE-GS, the session featured prospective teachers—undergraduate and master’s level students from across the nation—to share their work.
Conference on English Education and International Federation for Teachers of English.
Biennial conference. Introduction of keynote speaker, Hilary Janks. Introduction of workshop speakers, Valerie Kinloch and Laura Turchi. Served on organization team for graduate session workshops. Fordham University, Bronx, NY. (July 2015)
Workshops Attended
WORD-Washington Organization on Reading Development. Annual conference. Attendee.Attended and participated in featured workshop. (November 2015).
Arizona Association for the Gifted and Talented. Annual Conference. Attendee. Attended and participated in various workshops and sessions during the conference. (February 2014).
National Council for Teachers of English. Annual Conference. Attendee. Attended and participated in various workshops and sessions during the conference. (November 2011).
Teacher Advancement Program Training (TAP). Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. Trainee. Attended training and passed test to complete TAP certification. (Fall, 2011).
Arizona English Teachers Association. Annual Statewide Conference. Attendee. Attended a variety of English curriculum related training sessions and presentations (September 2011; September 2010; October 2009; October 2008; October 2007).
Mesa Writing Project. Mesa Public Schools and Arizona State University partnership. Participant.Attended and participated in a writing workshop for teachers. Created writing pieces and sharing these with the other members of the project, and also, publishing these in a book created by the members of the writing project. Writing blog entries. Creating worthwhile writing assignments for my students. Interpreting information from a variety of speakers: including, James Blasingame, Gary Soto, Alberto Rios, Don and Alleen Nilsen, Sneed Collard, and others. (June 2007).
Committees and Service
Faculty Sponsor. Eastern Reading Council. (2015-present).
Editorial Review Board. National Council for Teachers of English, Conference on English Education (CEE). English Education. (2015-2016).
Editorial Review Board.Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education – English. (2015-2016).
Proposal Reviewer. Literacy Research Association. Review conference proposals for annual LRA conference. (2015).
Proposal Reviewer. American Psychological Association, Division 15. Review conference proposals for annual APA conference. (2014).
Newsletter Editor. Conference on English Education, Graduate Strand. Publish annual newsletter of the CEE-GS. Work with other Graduate Strand board members to plan events throughout service. Plan biennial conference workshop for Conference on English Education conference. (2014-2016).
Site Liaison. Gilbert Supporters for the Gifted. Meridian Elementary School and Desert Ridge Junior High School. Worked with team of parents to coordinate activities supporting gifted students throughout the school district. (2014-2015).
Committee Member. 9th Grade Curriculum Revision. Skyline High, Mesa Public Schools. Worked with a team of teachers to revise 9th grade curriculum to meet the goals of Common Core State Standards. Create common assessments and discuss effective teaching strategies. (2012-2015).
Committee Member.Writing Committee.Mesa Public Schools. Participated in writing committee training. Reported back to teachers at my site. (2011).
Judge.Voices: A Writing Contest for Mesa Public Schools Grades K-12. Mesa Public Schools. Worked on a team of teachers from across Mesa Public Schools to judge student entries for district writing contest. (2011; 2010).
Pilot Curriculum Implementer. Teaching Foundations Project. Arizona State University. Worked with team of Children’s Literature teachers to design, implement, and discuss an innovative new curriculum for elementary education students in Arizona.
Conference volunteer.Narrative, Arts-based, and “Post” Approaches to Social Research. Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona. Volunteer/Usher for conference. (2011).
Participant. Gifted and Talented Committee. Mesa Public Schools. Attended quarterly meetings to contribute to creating a district-wide gifted and talented curriculum. (2009-2011).
Committee Member. Arizona Department of Education, AIMS Item Revision Committee. Met with educators from across the state to revise, draft, and authenticate items for the state assessment. (Summer 2010).
Presenter.School Improvement Committee.Brimhall Junior High, Mesa Public Schools. Presented goals and evaluation of data. (August 9, 2010).
Secretary.Correlate Team Four: Clear and Focused Mission. Brimhall Junior High, Mesa Public Schools. Take notes during meetings, which occur once per month throughout the school year. Type notes and distribute these to other members and administration. (2003-2010).
Club Sponsor.Creative Writing Club Advisor. Brimhall Junior High, Mesa Public Schools. Assist students in writing workshop activities. Provide an atmosphere conducive to writing creatively. Meet once per week throughout the school year. Participate in the writing activities with students. Plan creative ways for students to share and publish their writing, including Feather Circles and contests. (2006-2010).
Committee Member.Skyline Network.Mesa Public Schools. Work with colleagues to determine Power standards for writing and reading throughout grade levels. Write benchmark assessments for each quarter for schools to use. (2008-2010).
Cooperating Teacher. Brigham Young University, Idaho. Observe student teacher and provide valuable feedback on lesson plans, assessment, and classroom management. Conduct formal observations of student teacher. Communicate with student teacher in regards to monitoring and adjusting lesson plans based on student needs. (Spring 2010).
Committee Member.Grades 6-8 Writing Concept Proficiency Document Committee.Mesa Public Schools. Met with team of other eighth grade English teachers in district to establish common practices. Discussed approaches to writing tasks and when these tasks best fit in the schoolyear.(2010).
Mentor teacher. ASU College of Teacher Education and Leadership, Arizona State University. Observed intern teacher in the classroom, mentored, and helped student with teaching practices. (Fall 2009).
Presenter.“Differentiated Instruction Techniques.” School Improvement Committee. Brimhall Junior High, Mesa Public Schools. Presented effective techniques to use across content areas that would aid in differentiating instruction for all students. (August 9, 2009).
Co-chair.Eighth Grade Curriculum Revision Committee.Brimhall Junior High, Mesa Public Schools. Mapping curriculum to align to state standards. Devising tests and lesson plans that align with the curriculum map. Ensure that other teachers at the same grade level and concentration have copies of this map to follow throughout the year. Worked with other teachers during two district meetings to create a district curriculum for the junior high schools that is based on the state standards for writing. (2004-2008).
Mentor teacher.Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. Observed intern teacher in the classroom, mentored, and helped student with teaching practices. (Fall 2008).
Professional Memberships
- AAGT (Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented)
- AEA (Arizona Education Association)
- AETA (Arizona English Teachers Association)
- ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents)
- APA (American Psychological Association)
- CEE (Conference on English Education)
- CEE-GS (Conference on English Education, Graduate Strand)
- ERC (Eastern Reading Council)
- IFTE (International Federation for Teachers of English)
- ILA (International Literacy Association)
- LRA (Literacy Research Association)
- MEA (Mesa Education Association)
- NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English)
- NCTE-AR (National Council for Teachers of English, Arts and Research Strand)
- NEA (National Education Association)
- WORD (Washington Organization for Reading Development)
Additional Training
Teaching Internship.Arizona State University. Worked closely with a university mentor to teach Methods of English: Writing class. (Spring 2012).
Research Internship. Arizona State University. Worked with colleagues to complete IRB, write a survey, and analyze the results. The study, which focused on college literacy practices, included interviewing participants, analyzing survey data, and contributing to an article and conference presentation. (Fall 2010).
Awards
Marion Stroud Scholarshiprecipient, ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teacher’s College.
Daisy M. Jones Endowed Scholarshiprecipient, ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teacher’s College.
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