Joanne Cunard, Ph.D.
Professor of Child Study/Education
Contact
Phone: 860.231.5337
E-mail:
jcunard@sjc.edu
Web Page:
www.sjc.edu/jcunard
Students in Dr. Joanne Cunard's courses learn through best practice simulations of contemporary elementary classrooms. Dr. Cunard says, "Class time flies by with the variety of real world strategies we do through modeling, study groups, and conference sessions. This experiential learning applies literacy theory and research. I want the students to have fun." By analyzing case studies and work samples from Connecticut elementary children, students learn to plan instruction for today's changing and diverse schools and communities. One of Dr. Cunard's students explains, "She creates a tension-a disequilibrium that makes us work together to understand what the children are thinking, to struggle with our questions, our practices, and our beliefs."Course commitment is built into class; Dr. Cunard models reflective strategies as she invites, listens to and implements student feedback at the end of each class sessions.
Winner of the 1995 Reverend John J. Stack Teaching Excellence Award, Dr. Cunard states that, "Teaching nourishes my life. My students come to me passionate about their goal and ready for rigor." Since the Saint Joseph College community encourages leadership, many of her students accept the challenge to make a difference by working on state and school literacy boards. That helps explain why four recent graduates are in doctoral programs in literacy. To sum up her teaching philosophy, Dr. Cunard states, "I want to do everything possible to challenge and make each student's learning experience the best it can be so they will in turn offer the same to their students."
Degrees
Ph.D., University of Connecticut
M.A., The Ohio State University
B.A., The Ohio University
