Valerie WalkerFaculty
Valerie Struthers Walker is a Professor of Education here at Gustavus and the Faculty Associate for Teaching and Advising for the Kendall Center for Engaged Learning. She began her professional journey as an elementary and middle school teacher in Colorado before moving overseas to teach in two international schools: the American International School of Bamako (Mali) and the American International School, Vienna (Austria). She returned to the United States to complete her PhD in Curriculum, Teaching and Educational Policy at Michigan State University and was thrilled to join Gustavus' faculty in 2010.
Dr. Walker typically teaches Elementary Language Arts & Social Studies Methods, Environmental Education for Kids, and a first term seminar on diverse children's literature. She enjoys supervising teacher candidates in their elementary practicum and student teaching placements. Her professional and scholarly activities include serving on national and state social studies boards and developing curriculum and professional development in collaboration with organizations such as the Minnesota Council on Economic Education and the Open Windows Literature.
Dr. Walker loves cooking, hiking, and playing games with her family.
Education
Ph.D. in Curriculum, Teaching, & Educational Policy, Michigan State University, 2009; M.A.T. (Elementary Education), Colorado College, 1996; B.A. (Sociology), Colorado College, 1994.
Areas of Expertise
children's and young adult literature, critical reader response, disability studies., Language arts teaching methods, and climate change education
Interests
Diverse children's litearture, Economics education, Elementary writing methods, and Elementary social studies methods
Courses Taught
Synonym | Title | Times Taught | Terms Taught |
---|---|---|---|
EDU-372 | Elementary Language Arts Methods and Materials | 24 | 2024/SP, 2023/FA, 2023/SP, 2022/FA, 2022/SP, 2021/FA, 2021/SP, 2020/FA, 2020/SP, 2019/FA, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA |
EDU-374 | Elementary Social Studies Methods and Materials | 24 | 2024/SP, 2023/FA, 2023/SP, 2022/FA, 2022/SP, 2021/FA, 2021/SP, 2020/FA, 2020/SP, 2019/FA, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA |
EDU-385 | Elementary Interdisciplinary Models and Practicum | 23 | 2023/FA, 2023/SP, 2022/FA, 2022/SP, 2021/FA, 2021/SP, 2020/FA, 2020/SP, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/FA, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA |
EDU-320 | Literacy K-12 | 16 | 2020/SP, 2019/FA, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA |
FTS-100 | FTS:Mirrors/Windows/Child Lit | 2 | 2023/FA and 2022/FA |
EDU-220 | Environmental Ed | 2 | 2023/JN and 2022/JN |
EDU-268 | Orientation to Teaching | 2 | 2021/JN and 2020/JN |
EDU-373 | Elementary Mathematics Methods and Materials | 2 | 2020/SP and 2019/FA |
EDU-298 | Chal Sem: Env Ed for Kids | 1 | 2024/JN |
EDU-392 | K-6 Elementary Directed Teaching | 1 | 2021/SP |
EDU-394 | Secondary Directed Teaching | 1 | 2021/SP |
EDU-395 | K-12 Directed Teaching | 1 | 2021/SP |
EDU-399 | Seminar in Curriculum | 1 | 2021/SP |