Dr. Elizabeth Schucker, Ed.D.

An articulate and collaborative educator with extensive academic experience and a focus on positively contributing to department success. Proven skill in programmatic course development. Dedicated to innovating and cultivating a dynamic and rigorous experience for gifted students that fosters depth and breadth of learning. Insightful in providing knowledgeable and applicable pedagogy in professional development sessions for educators. Skilled in curriculum development, innovative instructional strategies, and academic research. Excel in communication, critical thinking, and adaptability, ensuring effective teaching methodologies and positive student outcomes.

• Keystone State Literacy Association, Delaware Valley Chapter (KSLA)
• Children's Literature Association (CLA)
• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
• Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE)
• National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
• Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER)
• Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate (CPED)
• Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)
• National Education Association (NEA)

• Doctor of Education, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, Transformational Teaching and Learning, 05/21
• M.Ed., Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, Elementary Education; Reading Specialist Certification, 05/10
• B.S.Ed., Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, Elementary Education, Concentration in Reading, 05/04

• Dynamic STEM Curriculum 'Makerspace to ChangeMakerspace' in the Gifted Classroom
• Multicultural texts used to cultivate critical literacy and civic identity
• Skilled in Gamification and Game-Based Learning
• Transformational Teaching and Learning
• Curricular differentiation practices
• Student activism and community-based change agency projects
• Global Citizen Standards for Gifted Education Programs
• Authentic text to connect literacy education to real-world applications for student engagement delivered through multimodalities
• Literacy practices through Project-based and Problem-based Learning
• Change Agency through Book Clubs

Teaching Challenged and Challenging Topics in Diverse and Inclusive Literature: Addressing the Taboo in the English Classroom, Routledge, 2022

• Alpha Epsilon Lambda Graduate Honor Society Member, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
• Schuylkill Valley Panther Impact Award, Schuylkill Valley School District, 2018
• Schuylkill Valley Panther Impact Award, Schuylkill Valley School District, 2017
• Dean's List, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
• Bartholomew Freshman Composition English Writing Award, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2001
• Outstanding 4-H Member, Berks 4-H

• BYC Parent's Auxiliary Committee - Berks Youth Chorus, Wyomissing, PA, 2020, Present
• Girls on the Run Coach, Leesport, PA, 2016, 2019
• Reading Choral Society Vocalist, Wyomissing, PA, 2007, 2011
• 4-H Leader of Berks Saddle-ites Riding Club, Leesport, PA, 1999, 2007
• R.I.S.E. Handicapped Equine Riding Program Trainer, Allentown, PA, 2001, 2003

• Mrs. Kelly Duncan, Special Education Teacher at the Commonwealth Charter Academy, 8 Old Philly Pike, Kempton PA, 19529, 610-216-3156, kduncan@ccaeducate.me
• Mr. Tod Witman, Instructional Coach and AP History Teacher, Schuylkill Valley High School, 929 Lake Shore Drive, Leesport PA, 19533, 610-468-8189, tdwitman@gmail.com
• Dr. Denise Bosler, Ed.D., Professor and Department chair of the Communication Design Department, Kutztown University, 311 Sharadin Art Building, Kutztown, PA, 19530, bosler@kutztown.edu
• Dr. Danielle Smyre, Ed.D., Ed.S., NCSP, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, Berks County Intermediate Unit, 1111 Commons Boulevard, Reading, PA, 19612-6050, 610-987-8656, daniesmyre@outlook.com
• Dr. Catherine McGeehan, Ed.D., Professor of Elementary, Middle Level, Library and Technologies Education, Kutztown University, 201 Beekey Building, Kutztown, PA, 19530, mcgeehan@kutztown.edu

• National Association for Gifted Education (NAGC), Orlando, FL, 2023, From Makerspace to 'Changemaker'-space: Transformative STEM-based Agency Opportunities, Civic Agents of Change: Environmental Justice-Themed Book Club Empowers Gifted Authors
• Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE), Harrisburg, PA, 2023
• American Reading Forum (ARF), Sanibel Island, FL, 2022
• Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA), Hershey, PA, 2022, Changed Agents: Cultivating Social Justice and Change Through Critical Literacy
• Pennsylvania State Librarian's Association (PSLA), Hershey, PA, 2022
• Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER), Hilton Head, SC, 2021
• Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER), Virtual Conference, 2020
• Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Conference (PSLA), Hershey, PA, 2020
• Kutztown University Library Sciences in Education Department, Kutztown, PA, 2020
• Kutztown University Critical Literacy Master's Program, Kutztown, PA, 2020
• Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA), Hershey, PA, 2018

• K-12 Gifted Education Teacher, Schuylkill Valley School District, Leesport, PA, 06/20, Present
• Graduate Reading Program Adjunct Professor, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, 05/22
• Fourth Grade Teacher, Schuylkill Valley Elementary, Leesport, PA, 06/08, 06/20
• Third Grade Teacher, Schuylkill Valley Elementary, Leesport, PA, 06/11, 06/12
• Second Grade Teacher, Schuylkill Valley Elementary, Leesport, PA, 06/07, 06/08
• Title I Reading Teacher, Schuylkill Valley Elementary, Leesport, PA, 06/06, 06/07
• Personal Care Paraprofessional, Schuylkill Valley Elementary, Leesport, PA, 06/05, 06/06
• Fourth Grade Long-Term Substitute, Muhlenberg Elementary Center, Reading, PA, 06/04, 06/05

• Schuylkill Valley Middle School Professional Development Committee Member, 2024, Present
• Host of the 'Turning the PAGE Podcast', Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2024, Present
• Social Media Coordinator, Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2024, Present
• PAGE Board Member, Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2023, Present
• Doctoral Committee Member, Penn West University: Doctorate in Administrative Leadership, 2023, Present
• KSLA (Delaware Valley Chapter) Secretary, Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA), 2022, 2023
• SVEF (Schuylkill Valley Education Foundation) Secretary and Middle School Representative, Schuylkill Valley School District, Leesport, PA, 2022, Present
• Manuscript Reviewer, Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER) Yearbook, 2022, Present
• Chapter Reviewer, Teaching Challenged and Challenging Topics in Diverse and Inclusive Literature: Addressing the Taboo in the English Classroom, 2022, 2023
• Board Member, Berks Youth Chorus (BYC), 2023, 2023
• Title I School-Wide Planning Team Committee Member, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2019, 2021
• Trout in The Classroom (TIC) Coordinator, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2019, Present
• Literacy Planning and Committee Member, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2017, 2018
• Panther Pride School-Wide Student Activities Coordinator, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2018, 2020
• Language Arts Committee Member, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2016, 2020
• STAR Lab Coordinator, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2018, Present
• Reading Olympics Co-Coordinator, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2016, 2020
• Peer Mediation Coach, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2015, 2020
• Christian Education Director, Trinity Lutheran Church, Topton, PA, 2010, 2018
• Ministry Team Theatre Director, Trinity Lutheran Church, Topton, PA, 2011, 2018
• Equine Education Coach, Brandywine Hill Farm, Mertztown, PA, 1998, 2013

• Reading Specialist Certification, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, received May 2010

Dr. Elizabeth Schucker, Ed.D., has been teaching for 21 years and has served in various roles in education. As a fourth-grade classroom teacher, she focused on differentiation for all levels of learners. Dr. Schucker soon realized a desire to teach and advocate for and design curricular opportunities for her gifted and 2e students, which led to her role in gifted education within her school district (K-12). She later transitioned to focus solely on the grades 5-8 middle school level for gifted support. She holds a master’s in Reading with a Reading Specialist Certificate from Kutztown University, and a doctoral degree through Kutztown University’s Education Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Transformational Teaching and Learning in Education, supported by the Carnegie Consortium (CPED). Her work highlighting students’ motivation for change agency through a book club model was included in an edited book that engages readers in classroom strategies for teaching challenged and challenging topics through diverse and inclusive literature. Dr. Schucker enjoys creating and implementing a responsive gifted curriculum that engages learners in a partnership model. She continues to explore how agency-based curriculum challenges students’ thinking, cultivates civic identity and enthusiasm for leadership, and creates connections to real-world topics through problem and project-based learning. She is also an active board member of PAGE (Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education) www.giftedpage.org, where she is the host of the ‘Turning the PAGE Podcast,’ which engages with guests to present listeners with a vibrant mix of monthly topics from academic achievements to the social, emotional, and psychological needs of gifted students. She also serves as one of PAGE's social media coordinators. Dr. Schucker enjoys sharing her work and learning from others through various forms of professional development. Dr. Schucker is passionate about her advocacy and professional work regarding the need for teacher training in gifted education and building support for robust gifted programming in regular education classrooms. She has presented at many local, state, and national conferences with sessions focused on a variety of topics related to change agency in gifted education.