This page lists former and current students of the program. If you would like to add your name to the locator, please send an email to conleym@msu.edu.

Lynette R. Z. Vandekieft   vandek13@pilot.msu.edu 
http://www.msu.edu/~vandeki3/
Okemos, MI
Current Employment: Substitute at Hiawatha Elementary in Okemos, 1 to 2 days per week.  Full-time mom of three kids ages 5, 8, and 11.
Current Literacy Activities: Member of the International Reading Association
Current Research Interests: Use of Historical Fiction in the classroom, use of multicultural literature to promote multiple perspectives.

Pamela Babbitt       
Eaton Rapids, MI
Current Employment: 5th grade Teacher, Eaton Rapids Public Schools
Current Literacy Activities: Member of Michigan Reading Association and the Literacy Masters Program.
Current Research Interests: Benefits that students receive through literature circles.

Judith Baker       
Novi, MI
Current Employment: Sales director/Broker/Real Estate
Current Literacy Activities: Practitioner research-a case study-home literacy visits. Emphasis on the impact of invented spelling with early dialogue journal writing. Implications and attitudes for an emerging/novice writer. Frequent "coffee" conversations with friend involved in creating reading events-shared dialogue about literacy.

Julie Bellinger     
Williamston, MI
Current Employment: 3rd grade Teacher, Wardcliff Elementary, Okemos Public Schools.
Current Literacy Activities: Literacy Masters Program; Book Club utilizing Fish Bowl discussion groups.
Current Research Interests: Researching the meaningfulness of oral discussions and open-ended prompts in reading.

Katie Bowling       
Okemos, MI
Current Employment: 7th and 8th grade Language Arts, Munn Middle School, Fowlerville Community Schools
Current Literacy Activities: Reading Lab Instructor; facilitator of Accelerated Reader; Developed intensive poetry project-poetry readings
Current Research Interests: Humor and its effects in the classroom (more specifically-riddle usage).

Kim Bruton      
Jackson, MI
Current Employment: 5th grade Teacher, Jackson Public Schools
Current Literacy Activities: On the Language Arts Committee for School Improvement at my school. Helped reactivate Jackson County Reading Council. Using Book Clubs in classroom. In last year of Masters Program.

Kim Caudell      
Charlotte, MI
Current Employment: 5th grade Teacher, Charlotte Public Schools
Current Literacy Activities: Literacy Days; Community Readers.

Tamara Culver      
Flushing, MI
culverta@pilot.msu.edu
Current Employment: 3rd grade Teacher, Ovid-Elsie Schools
Current Literacy Activities: Working with Literacy Learning in the classroom training.

Jill Darrow      
Eaton Rapids, MI
Current Employment: 5th grade Teacher, Lockwood Elementary, Eaton Rapids, MI
Current Literacy Activities: Currently enrolled in the Literacy Instruction Masters Program. Literature Circles in the classroom. Preparing to move myself and Literature Circles program to a new 5/6 building in Fall 1997.
Current Research Interests: Interested in student enjoyment with reading by offering individual preference, discussion, and a variety of novels.

Karen Degerstrom      
Owosso, MI
kdeg@shianet.org
Current Employment: K-12 Substitute Teacher, Shiawassee Regional District
Current Literacy Activities: Learning disabled, emotionally impaired mainstream literacy K-12. 1st, 2nd, and 6th grade literacy.
Current Research Interests: Current research is collaborative peer groups/cooperative learning and group activities culminating into a possible web page of resources for busy teachers (6-12) to access.

Karen Eisele      
Haslett, MI
keisele@lsd.k12.mi.us
Current Employment: Teacher, Lansing Public Schools
Current Literacy Activities: Charter member of the Literacy Circle (an extension of the graduate courses on Culture, Literacy, and Autobiography taken with Dr. Susan Florio-Ruane). Using Book Club method for Reading instruction in my 3rd grade classroom. Member of the Capital Area Reading Association.
Current Research Interests: Will work on a grant through the Spencer Foundation as a member of the COE Literacy Circle.

Lynn Fowler      
Okemos, MI
fowlerl4@pilot.msu.edu
Current Employment: Substitute Teacher

Paulette Hoose     
Fenton, MI
Current Employment: 5th grade teacher, Fenton Community Schools
Current Literacy Activities: Last year (1996) I was a co-director of a writing workshop with Linden Community Schools. The workshop recently received an Educational Excellence Award from the Michigan Association of School Boards. Graduated from Wayne State University with an Educational Specialist Certification.

Andrea Lantz     
Wixom, MI
Current Employment: 2nd grade teacher, Howell Public Schools
Current Literacy Activities: Just returned from my first time at the Michigan Reading Association in Grand Rapids. Loved it! So much of what's "happening" was presented in our literacy courses. I feel ahead of the game!

Diane Lindbert      
Okemos, MI
dianbert@aol.com
Current Employment: 5th grade Teacher, Cornell Elementary School, Okemos, MI
Current Literacy Activities: Literacy Masters Program
Current Research Interests: Researching the connection between reading and writing; researching the implementation of Book Club; published Mildred Taylor Trilogy in Book Club.

Janelle Marler      
Howell, MI
marlerja@pilot.msu.edu
Current Employment: Preschool Teacher
Current Literacy Activities: Teacher research project: what emerging reading and writing skills/strategies can be learned by students through the use of music as text.

Amy Matzick      
East Lansing, MI
matzicka@pilot.msu.edu
Current Employment: Full-time graduate student
Current Literacy Activities: Practitioner's research on dialogue journals.

Tracy Reynolds      
East Lansing, MI
reyno117@pilot.msu.edu
Current Employment: Full-time graduate student.
Current Literacy Activities: Classroom research into links between oral and written language.

Delores A. Schnarr     
Haslett, MI
Current Employment: High School English Teacher
Current Literacy Activities: I use strategies and insights gained from my Masters in Literacy Instruction program every day. From teaching according to learning styles to emphasizing active reading strategies, my literacy Masters education is an integral part of my teaching.

Bette J. Shellhorn      
Mason, MI
shellhor@pilot.msu.edu
Current Employment: Ph.D. Student in TE and Literacy.
Current Literacy Activities: Literacy Circle; work on L.E.A.P. Literacy Project for at-risk non-readers.
Current Research Interests: Conducting research with Dr. Susan Florio-Ruane and Dr. Taffy Raphael; article submitted to the Michigan Reading Journal to be published this Spring

Kelly Thieme      
Lansing, MI
rjthieme@msu.edu
Current Employment: 1st grade Teacher, St. Johns Schools.
Current Research Interests: Connection between creative dramatics/movement and children's interest in books/reading; implementing Literacy Learning in the classroom; Individualized Reading Instruction.

Leanne Tormen      
Charlotte, MI
Current Employment: Program Director, Educational Child Care Center
Current Literacy Activities: Member of Association for Childhood Education International. Practitioner Research on Descriptive Language in Kindergarten Writing.