Nicola Williams
Ph.D. Specialty Area: Educational Studies, Teacher
Education
.
Present Position: I have recently completed my oral defense. In the fall I will be starting a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Literacy at the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University
Dissertation Topic: My dissertation focuses on teachers’ missions related to teaching African American children in the classroom, including an emphasis on gender, ethnic diversity, school context, and instructional practices. There is also a focus on incorporating students’ perceptions on life in these classrooms
Prior to coming to the SOE: Prior to coming to the SOE, I was a secondary school English and ESL teacher in the DC Metro area.
What I Learned in the Program: Because of my experience in the SOE I am now much more aware of, and confident in how I can begin to serve as a change agent in a culturally diverse teaching and learning community. Since coming here, I have cultivated many professional and personal relationships, research and service opportunities, and sources of pedagogical content knowledge for teacher education. I have also continued to develop an understanding of what the needs of teachers and students are in the K-12 classroom, as well as in various kinds of teacher education programs. Graduate school is an intense and demanding context, but for me much growth has come from maintaining a sharp focus on personal goals and aspirations for serving my community.
