Sherry Walton Phone Number: ext. 6753 Office Number: Sem 2 A3104 Mail Stop: SEM 2 A2117 E Mail: waltonsl evergreen.edu

Recent Teaching History

• Master in Teaching
• Forms in Nature: Studies in Art, Ecology and Human Development
• Beyond Dichotomies: Studies In Community Health;
• Humans and Nature in the Pacific Northwest
• Making American Selves
• Teacher Education Program

B.A., Education, Auburn University, 1970

M.Ed., Developmental Reading, Auburn University, 1977

Ph.D., Theories in Learning, Research and Evaluation Methodology, University of Colorado, 1980.

Theories of learning; reading theory; literacy assessment, acquisition, instruction; education theory and practice; interactive workshop design; writing children's books; equity and education; standardized testing; social, historical and political foundations of education

 

"I have a book published about norm referenced standardized testing and the ways scores are used politically to invalidate some ways of teaching and to make unfounded statements about particular groups of students. At one school, I developed workshops with teachers to work with the children so they could better demonstrate their knowledge on standardized tests. The idea was to help children figure out how the test was a kind of literacy format that they could work through and to develop some decision-making strategies. After the initial workshops, the test scores went off the charts. Several articles came out of the work (Educational Leadership, Kappan, series in Instructor) and Heinemann Books has published the workshops in book form. So, the issue of what is valid assessment for children and how does it get used is of interest to me. And if we're going to have to use norm referenced tests because of political pressure from the Washington State legislature then all children ought to have an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge. The other area I'm trying to get up to speed on is the relationship of brain physiology to learning."

 

 

The work of Lisa Delpit and bell hooks has influenced Sherry's thinking because "neither one of them constrains herself to an old argument." Sherry values Constance Weaver because she has done the best work in literacy and she is very politically active.

Essential learnings, assessment, bias in testing, literacy acquisition, visual arts as they relate to learning, movement as it relates to learning, and gender based work are the types of topics Sherry would be willing to work on with students. 

"I look for commitment and effort by students in their work. I look for students willing to improve skills. I assess students in multiple ways. Students will write a paper, I list things the student is doing well and two things that student needs to work on, and I have the students come in to talk about their work. We converse. Lately, I have been using rubrics with graduate students because they will be using these in their teaching. Portfolio assessment helps students reflect on their work. I work really hard on being clear on where students should be going."

"A student said I have a 'mid-wife like style'...I took that to mean that I coached and supported the process of birth of their knowledge and skills. Another said I was more like a 'gad-fly' always in her ear, bugging her all the time about things she should get better at. I have a lot of passion in my teaching, a lot of conviction that it is important for students to do what we are doing. I am approachable; I am flexible in seminar. One or two students each year inevitably say I am not approachable. I am demanding. I work well with those students who have abilities but are afraid to bring them forth. I don't work well with arrogant students or those who complain all the time without attempting to work it out."

 

 

Student evaluations comment on Sherry's passionate concern about education and that she is committed to students becoming good teachers. She establishes good seminars and the interactive workshops are engaging. 

"I want students to say clearly, ‘this is my goal,’ and ‘this is what I am going to do to meet my goal.’ Also, I want to know how the contract fits in with the student's goal. I never take a contract where I have to teach a skill. But I am willing to meet with the student and go over her work. I prefer a recommendation from another faculty saying: ‘so-and-so is capable of completing the work.’"