April Sanders, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean, College of Innovation and Design, and Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction

April Sanders, Ph.D., did not set out to be a teacher. In fact, it was the very last thing she ever wanted to be; but by happenstance, she ended up in a classroom. 当桑德斯第一次站在学生面前开始教学时，她感觉就像在家里一样. She has always been highly comfortable being in a classroom, 即使是在一个充满挑战的学生或复杂情况的教室里. Sanders knew all issues could be dealt with, handled and worked upon. She felt like teaching was her calling. Recently, Sanders and her wife moved back to Texas from Mobile, Alabama, to start a new adventure at A&M-Commerce.

A Conversation With Dr. Sanders

What would you tell a student who is thinking about attending A&M-Commerce?

A&移动商务是个性化支持和指导的完美结合，你经常在小型学校环境中找到这些工具, options and degree programs available at larger institutions. Due to its size, you get the best of both worlds. Also, 你有很多机会参与其中，沿着不同的道路走下去，同时得到很多个性化的支持和指导.

What draws you to your discipline?

I began as an English teacher and then I became an administrator for K-12. 我回去完成了课程与教学的博士学位，重点是语言和读写. I have always had that literacy aspect with my teaching. 吸引我进入这个领域的原因是，我认为有很多关于教学多么重要的陈词滥调, which it is, but the reality is that not everyone can teach well, and not everyone has all of the tools to teach well, whether that is strategies, curriculum etc.

For me, I think curriculum and instruction is a lot like the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” when they pull back that curtain to reveal what is really going on. 课程和教学是在教室的幕后进行的. 我认为这一点非常重要，因为我们的很多学生都需要各种各样的支持. 我们的老师可以使用各种工具和策略在他们需要的地方脱颖而出. For myself, I really like those inner workings of how things happen, and that's what draws me into this field.

What has been your favorite course to teach?

我喜欢教关于如何教授读写能力的阅读课程，因为我认为如果我们能教一个人如何有效地阅读, then they have several more options in their future. 我相信培养高质量的阅读教师是日后在许多不同领域取得成功的必要条件. At the same time, I like working with student resident teachers. 我喜欢它，因为这是时间，职前教师能够看到他们的梦想展开. It is not always perfect, and sometimes we will have the good and the bad, which is when we get to figure out how we can make them better. 这段时间你们要把课程中讲过的东西都用上, and you are really in the thick of it, dealing with things, and that, to me, is a really exciting time with preservice teachers. 我们看着他们成长为伟大的老师，这就是为什么这是我最喜欢教的课程.

Tell us about a project you are currently working on or recently completed.

During the pandemic, my colleagues and I published a book. I got to edit the manuscripts with my two colleagues from A&M-Commerce about LGBTQ+ policy and curriculum in K-12 schools. This project took a little over two years, and it was finally published. 这对我来说是一个巨大而重要的项目，所以它是2020年的一个重要标志.

Currently, I’m working on some research that connects to edTPA, 哪一种是学生教师在课堂上和学生一起展示他们的作品的作品集. 这是一个反思的基础，这是他们自己的工作，他们把它们放在一起提交评分. So, 我的工作是发现最佳实践来支持他们，当我们讨论作品集时，他们需要写什么以及他们如何进行反思.

What is something you’re passionate about that relates to your work?

我热衷的一件事是我所做的与LGBQ+问题相关的工作. 像我这样的人为那些不能发声的人发声是极其重要的. 我希望能够强调研究中涉及LGBQ+学生的问题, 我觉得有责任说出来，因为在我之前有很多人尽了自己的一份力量来发声, and there will be people after me who need to know we used our voices.

Education

• Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction, University of North Texas, 2013
• M.Ed., Educational Administration, Stephen F. Austin State University, 2002
• M.A., English Literature, University of Central Arkansas, 1996
• B.A., English Literature, University of Central Arkansas, 1995

Academic Positions

• Assistant Dean, College of Innovation and Design, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2022-present
• 副教授，助理系主任，临时系主任，德州大学&M University-Commerce, 2020-2022
• Associate Professor and Chair, Division of Education, Spring Hill College, 2013-2020
• Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of North Texas, 2009-2013

Professional Licenses

• Principal (EC-12), Texas Professional Certificate, 2003-2024
• Secondary English (6-12), Texas Teaching Certification, 1999-2024

Awards and Honors

• 2022, Transformation Plan for Pride Pathway CBE Supports, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, U.S. 教育部稳定基金计划，州长紧急教育救济，49,568美元.00 (Principal Investigator)
• 2021-2022, edTPA Pilot Support Year 2, Texas Education Agency, $9000.00 (Principal Investigator)
• 2022-2023, US PREP Cohort III, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, $261,655.00 (Subrecipient Investigator)
• 2022-2023, Raise Your Hand Texas Cohort II, Charles Butt Foundation, $50,000.00 (Co-PI)
• 2015-2018, edTPA试点项目实施，阿拉巴马州教育部，15,000美元.00 (Principal Investigator)
• Mitchell Faculty Research Grant, Spring Hill College, $5000, 2018-2020
• Dawson Faculty Research Award, Spring Hill College, $2500, 2019
• St. John Berchmans Teaching Excellence Aware, Spring Hill College Student Organization and Leadership Council, 2017
• edTPA实施，阿拉巴马州教育部，15,000美元，2015-2018

Research Interests

• Use of new literacies in K-12 classrooms
• How preservice teachers are prepared to teach in a modern classroom
• LGBTQ+ curriculum development
• Preparing preservice teachers for edTPA.

Professional Organizations

• American Educational Research Association
• National Council of Teachers of English

Selected Publications

• Kimbriel, J., Sanders, A., Dixon, K., & Isbell, L. (2022). 明确教学教练的角色，为新教师提供公平的经验. TxEP: Texas Educator Preparation, 6, 66-72.
• Sanders, A., Isbell, L., & Dixon, K. (2021). 运用教学设计改造教师候选人备课过程. The Texas Forum of Teacher Education, 11 (1), 49-63.
• Sanders, A. (2021). After innovative teaching during the pandemic, what will stick? An Educator's metamorphosis. The Journal for Research and Practice in College Teaching. 6 (2), 1-3.
• Dixon, K., Sanders, A., & Isbell, L. (2021). The utilization of technology tools and preparation of preservice teachers for literacy instruction in the age of virtual learning. In Araujo, J. & Araujo, D.L. (Eds.) 素养教育职前教师准备再概念研究手册. IGI Global.
• Smith, M., ElBassiouny, A., & Sanders, A. (2020). 跨学科合作:让学生参与写作作业的同行合作. The Journal of Teacher Action Research, 7(1), 101-125.
• Sanders, A., Isbell, L., & Dixon, K. (2020). Incorporating LGBTQ+ Identities in K-12 Curriculum and Policy (pp. 1-335). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-1404-7
• Sanders, A. (2020). 通过游戏素养理论探讨主流电子游戏的文学价值. In Hubbell, G. (Ed.) What is a game? Essays on the nature of videogames (Studies in gaming). McFarland.
• Sanders, A., & Dixon, K. (2020). LGBTQ+文学在中学课堂中成为年轻读者的窗户和镜子. In Sanders, A., Isbell, L., & Dixon, K. (Eds.) Incorporating LGBTQ+ Identities in K-12 Curriculum and Policy. IGI Global.
• Isbell, L., Dixon, K., & Sanders, A. (2019). Arming Teachers for School Safety: Providing Clarity for State Policies. Texas Education Review, 7(2), 6-13.
• Dixon, K., Sanders, A., & Putman, R. (2018). 利用微博作为高等教育课堂讨论的社交媒体工具. The Journal of Social Media in Society, 7(1), 339-365.
• Sanders, A. (2018). A Study of courage and caring. [M . j .]《皇冠体育365赌博》一书书评. Landa]. Teachers College Record, http://www.tcrecord.org, ID 22344.