A Biography of Dr. Karen D. Wood

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A Biography ofDr. Karen D. Wood
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Personal Life

• Born and raised in southern New Jersey
• Lived with both parents and brother
• Moved to North Carolina to study journalism as an
  undergraduate
• Quit after two years to begin a career
• (delivered newspapers, packed tape cartridges,
  filed insurance claims)
• Married at age 20
• Went back to school and earned a degree in
  English and Psychology, although still did not
  want to become a teacher at that time

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Personal Life - continued

• Studied under Mr. Reading, Uberto Price who
  turned her onto kids and reading
• Completed masters degree at Appalachin State
  University
• Also earned Educational Specialists degree at
  ASU under Dr. William Blanton
• Began teaching reading at a junior high while
  working on MEd and EdS, and eventually became
  Instructional Coordinator for K-12

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Personal Life - continued

• With first born son, Eric, did residency at
  University of Georgia and finished in 1982
• After writing and publishing as much as possible
  was hired with tenure at University North
  Carolina Charlotte in 1985
• Began new program at the university, Middle
  Grades Education
• Had three more children, a son and boy-girl twins
• In 1989 formally met Drs. Lapp and Flood and has
  been collaborating with them ever since

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Professional Life Key Points

• Has been involved in literacy research since the
  early 1980s
• Currently a Professor in the Department of
  Reading and Elementary Education at UNCC
• Focus on literacy in the middle grades
• Professional emphasis on translating research and
  theory into classroom practice (flexible
  grouping, integrating r/la across curriculum,
  including diverse learners in classroom
  community)
• Strives for students, especially middle school
  students, to have freedom of choice in
  literature, instructional diversity, peer
  interactions, personal expression, and a
  broadened perspective through flexible
  heterogeneous groupings

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Professional Life

• Wrote a sample column for The Middle School
  Journal in 1986 and has since become the editor
  of the Out of Research--into Practice column
  for the journal
• In 1989 joined the McGraw-Hill basal reader
  series with Drs. Lapp and Flood and has worked on
  Spotlight on Literacy (K-6) and Spotlight on
  Literature (7-8), as well as Language Arts 2001-4
• Author of over 175 articles, chapters and books
  appearing in The Reading Teacher, Journal of
  Reading, and Language Arts
• Presents and gives conferences nationwide
  (presented at Rosa Parks Elementary School Summer
  2005)
• In 1995, was the first recipient of UNCC College
  of Educations Excellence in Teaching Award
• One of three finalists in 1999 for 1st Citizens
  Bank Scholars Award at UNCC
• One of five finalists in 2000 for UNCC Bank of
  America Teaching Award

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Recent Books

• Integrating Reading and Writing in Middle and
  Secondary Classrooms
• Teaching Literacy in the Sixth Grade
• Promoting Literacy in Grades 4-9 A Handbook for
  Teachers and Administrators
• Literacy Strategies Across the Subject Areas
• Vocabulary Strategies for Diverse Learners