Janice VanDyke

Co-Team Leader of San Diego City (Student Teacher) Blocks I & II and Seminar Instructor.

PhD (1997) Education/Literacy, San Diego State University/Claremont Graduate School
M.Ed. Elementary Education/Reading, Georgia State University
B.A. English, Eastern Connecticut State College

Background

I grew up in New London, Connecticut, and became interested in American and English prose, so I majored in literature. After graduation, I taught various grades of school in Pennsylvania and worked as a feature writer/photographer for some newspapers. Through the years, I have worked in different grades in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms; taught in adult schools and community colleges; wrote a book and several articles; and have been a Co-Team Leader and Seminar Instructor for San Diego (Student Teacher) Blocks I and II since Spring, 1994. I have supervised student teachers at San Diego State University since 1992.

I am writing my doctoral dissertation, "A Group Case Study of Student Teachers' Reactions to Multicultual Literature Discussion Group Readings", which I hope to finish by the summer. I have made several presentations at various national conferences on book clubs, television's effect on middle school students, and infusing multiculturalism into syllabi. Before long, I hope to teach a class in Reading/Language Arts to further my interest in that area.

In my spare time, I enjoy bicycling, traveling, going to movies and plays, reading, and going out to eat with my children and/or friends. Relaxing with some alone time is very important to me. Sometimes I like to be impulsive and go to a film by myself. It's a terrific feeling to lose yourself in someone else's life for a few hours. It's similar to reading a really wonderful book which transports you to a different world and unique life's view, such as Amy Tan's The Hundred Secret Senses. I'm trying to attend more local bookstore signings, where authors speak to the people who attend and then sign copies of their books.

I love going to Rancho la Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, once a year to firm up and release my stress. That place is heaven on earth.

Last updated on Friday, February 2, 1996.

This is a FAKE personal home page and does not represent the opinions of San Diego State University.

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