Coe College

Terry McNabb
Professor, Associate Dean
M.Ed., University of Virginia
Ph.D., University of Iowa

Contact Information:
Office: 409C Stuart Hall
Email: tmcnabb@coe.edu
Phone: 319-399-8870

Educational Background:
Ph.D., University of Iowa, Educational Psychology (1986)
M.Ed. University of Virginia, Counselor Education (1975)
B.A, Western Michigan University, History and Sociology (1972)

Teaching background:
High school American and world history (Farmington, Michigan and Bangkok, Thailand)
Middle school social studies (Charlottesville, Virginia)
High school counseling (Ruamrudee International School, Bangkok, Thailand)

Classes Taught at Coe:
Educational Psychology

Research and Academic Interests:
Appropriate application of neuroscience findings to education
Academic motivation
Uses and misuses of standardized testing in schools
Research on memory and student learning

Special activities at Coe:
Currently serving as Associate Dean of the Faculty
J-term trips to England and Thailand (1998, 2000, 2002)
Led Asian Studies term in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam (2008)

Personal interests:
Reading, following the Detroit Tigers, playing addictive video games

Favorite Coe memory/tradition:
I love the opening of the school year when faculty applaud the first year students into the college, and the end of the school year when we applaud them into the next part of their lives.  Commencement is both thrilling and sad, but one Coe tradition I love is that so many students stay in touch with their teachers!

Teaching at Coe:
I started teaching at Coe in 1995, and felt like all of my previous work had been preparing me for this opportunity.  The fact that faculty are encouraged to form personal relationships with students at Coe makes it a very compatible environment for me.

Roger Johanson
Professor, Chair, Coe's Licensure Official

Contact Information:
Office: 409B Stuart Hall
Email: rjohanso@coe.edu
Phone: 319-399-8510

Educational Background:
Ph.D., Cornell University, 1979, curriculum and instruction, math education and educational research methods
M.S., Cornell University, 1976
B.A., Luther College, 1971, math and psychology

Research interests:
Currently writing a textbook designed to enhance elementary teachers' comprehension of mathematics.   
Conducted Fulbright research on computer learning in children.  I'm working on an article on curriculum theory.
Primary academic interests are math education and the foundations of American education.

Courses taught at Coe:
Educational Foundations
Math Comprehension for teachers
Elementary Math teaching methods
Secondary Math teaching methods

Other Activities at Coe:
In May term 2011, I led my eighth student study trip to Costa Rica.
I regularly supervise student teachers.
I anticipate restarting the teaching of the card game bridge at Coe (it was a January Term activity class I taught in the 1990's).

Personal Interests:
I love to run and am an avid exercise enthusiast.  I will finish my 16th and last year as a high school cross country coach this fall.  I hope to run my 6th marathon in 2012.  I keep intending to resume song writing and playing my electric bass guitar.  I am a "life master" at duplicate bridge and still enjoy the intellectual challenge of this card game.

Favorite Coe traditions/memories:
My son graduated from Coe in 1997.  I remember getting his campus parking tickets when he stretched the limits of my faculty parking pass on the family cars.  International Club dinners and talent shows have always been among my favorites.  And I love to read in the garden behind Clark Alumni House or in the 2nd floor reading room in the Library.

Reason for teaching at Coe:
I taught a Pascal computer programming class in summer 1986.  Then I started as a full time faculty member in teacher education in the fall of 1986.  I cherish my own experience in a high quality liberal arts college and love to help provide that for students

Christy Wolfe
Assistant Professor

Contact Information:
Office: 402 Stuart Hall
Email: cwolfe@coe.edu
Phone: 319-399-8263

Educational Background:
Ph.D., University of Iowa College of Education, Iowa City, Iowa (2007)
J.D., University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa (1998)
B.A., Sociology (major) with non-degree major in English writing, Saint Mary's College of Notre Dame, Indiana (1989)
Teaching Certification, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (1991)

Research Interests:
Educational Equity
Technology Integration in Teaching and Learning
History of Education
Technology and Communication in Schools

Courses I teach at Coe:
Human Relations (EDU 387)
Practicum--Secondary Education (EDU 215) [general teaching methods]
Courses in Coe College's Masters of Teaching Program

Other Activities at Coe:
I taught a course in May, Equity in Education. Ten students and I explored ideas and philosophies behind educational strategies addressing inequity in education, including home-schooling; dual language schools; and urban education charter schools. We visited programs across eastern Iowa and also spent a week-plus in Chicago, visiting numerous charter schools.

As part of the secondary education practicum course, I get out and visit students in their field experiences in local schools. This allows me to both see the environment through students' perspectives and also to interact with teachers in the field.

I work with Theresa Keeley, an educator at METRO High School in Cedar Rapids. As part of the Human Relations course, Theresa brings students from METRO--a nationally-recognized alternative program--to Coe, and Coe students spend a day at METRO. We get to see a strong program and dedicated teachers, working to help students remove obstacles from their lives and get a quality education."

Personal Interests:
I am intrigued by how technology and social media have changed the way we teach and learn in today's society. I was part of the pilot program for Coe's online course management program and utilize a lot of video; online discussion boards; and technology-related projects in my classes. I believe good teachers know their content but great teachers know their content and share their enthusiasm for learning with students. As I learn to incorporate things like video projects and iTouch technology into my teaching, I feel as if my students get to see how valuable curiosity is to making knowledge relevant and meaningful.

Favorite memories/traditions:
My favorite days are when students call or email and say, "I got my first teaching job!" A close second would be the times when they call or email mid-year and say, "It's hard and I'm working long hours and I feel like I have so much to learn but I got this great email from a parent I wanted to share with you...."  Seeing Coe students transition from student to teacher is gratifying and humbling.

Reason for teaching at Coe:
I started at Coe College in 2006. I had taught in high school classrooms and worked in the field of juvenile justice but it's at Coe in my work with future teachers that I feel I am doing the most important work of my career. I had countless privileges growing up--family support, a good education, opportunities for learning. I believe that my responsibility--rooted in those privileges--is to do my part to make the world a more fair, equitable place. If even one student I work with goes out and becomes the teacher who changes someone's future for the better, I can believe in what I do. Fortunately, many Coe students go out and become phenomenal teachers. Consequently, I truly believe in what we're doing at Coe to change the world, one elementary student at a time.

Nancy Hayes
Assistant Professor of Education

Contact Information:
Office: 404 Stuart Hall
Phone: (319)399-8137
Email: nhayes@coe.edu

Educational Background:
Ph.D., University of Iowa, Language, Literacy, and Culture, 2004
M.A., Penn State University, Comparative Literature, 1993
B.A., University of Illinois, English, 1989

Teaching Background:
Elementary bilingual
Secondary & post-secondary Spanish
Post-secondary teacher education

Research Interests:
Cultural competence
Biliteracy
International education

Courses I teach at Coe:
Foundations of Education
Foundations of Reading
Content Area Literacy
Social Studies Methods for Elementary Teachers
K-12 Student Teacher Supervision
May Term in Alicante, Spain

Favorite Coe memory/tradition:
Ringing the bell!

Reason for teaching at Coe:
Began full time in 2009. Taught Spanish here (2003-2004) and loved it!

Sarah Kress
Instructor

Contact Information:
Office: Stuart 402A
Phone: 399-8813
Email: skress@coe.edu

Educational Background:
B.A. Elementary Education, Coe College, 1999
K-6 Teacher Elementary Classroom
K-8 English/Language Arts
K-8 Reading
M.A. Educational Leadership, Drake University, 2006
PK-12 Principal
PK-12 Special Education Supervisor
Evaluator (new)

What are your research and academic interests?
Connecting current brain research with instructional practices is an ongoing interest.  Motivation of all learners is also an area that I enjoy teaching.  I also focus on teaching differentiation strategies and accelerating skills of all learners.

What classes do you teach?
Practicum in Elementary Education
Methods of Teaching Reading
Methods of Teaching Language Arts
Diagnostic Reading
Literature K-12

What special activities are you involved in at Coe?
Many of the classes I teach involve a hands-on field experience in area classrooms; I enjoy visiting students in the classroom.  Observing, providing feedback, and discussing teaching with Coe students is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work.

Recently, we have moved the tutoring component of Diagnostic Reading to Coe.  This change has been pivotal in supporting Coe students in their work with individual readers.  I enjoy seeing the work Coe students do with their students and being available to provide assistance and on-going feedback each time they teach.

What is your favorite Coe tradition?
The ringing of the victory bell.  Not only is this tradition a link to Coe’s past and my own experience here, heard across campus, it is a reminder of the hard work our students do in and out of the classroom.

When did you start teaching at Coe?
Fall 2008

Betsy Kigin
Placement Coordinator and Departmental Secretary
Office: 409A Stuart Hall
Email: bkigin@coe.edu
Phone: 319-399-8575