Julie Ankrum
Julie Ankrum, a professor in the Department of Professional Studies in Education, started her career by teaching kindergarten. Now she’s teaching the teachers who might go on to work in elementary and high schools. Although the students she works with have changed, her passion for teaching literacy has not, and she shares that passion every day with her students.
In this latest installment of Meet Our Faculty, learn more about Julie Ankrum.
What is it about the education field that initially drew you in—and ultimately keeps you interested?
Initially, I loved the idea of working with children. I enjoyed guiding them to understand new concepts. Now that I teach adults, I still love finding effective ways to guide my students as they learn new information. The fact that every single day is different is what keeps me interested in teaching. This is just as true in higher education as it was when I taught kindergarten.
Your specialty is literacy. Why do you enjoy teaching it?
Being able to read and write is essential to all learning. I love to unpack the processes of reading and writing and to apply appropriate and differentiated instructional techniques for individual learners. I also love preparing teachers and reading specialists to do this for their students.
What advice would you give students about how to succeed in college?
Put your whole self into learning all you can. Read the assigned articles and chapters and try to connect them to the content you learn in class. Think deeply, do your best work when you complete assignments, and have as much fun after class and on weekends as you can.