Elizabeth E. Schucker
Kempton
Summary
Collaborative educational leader with expertise in gifted education across K–12 and higher education settings, supporting teachers, students, and pre-service educators in the design and implementation of rigorous, differentiated learning experiences. Demonstrates proficiency in curriculum development, instructional leadership, professional development facilitation, and assessment analysis to inform data-driven educational practices. Committed to fostering instructional collaboration and empowering gifted learners to achieve high levels of academic and intellectual growth through student-centered, research-based approaches. Specializes in preparing educators for effective classroom practice and advanced pedagogical application.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Gifted Education Teacher (grades 5-8)
Schuylkill Valley School District
Leesport
07.2024 - Current
- Create and deliver original curriculum based on research-based practices utilizing problem and project-based learning methods
- Develop and implement differentiated instruction activities to meet the individual needs of each student
- Assess student performance through observation, projects, tests, and other methods
- Provide guidance for parents regarding their children's academic progress
- Collaborate with other teachers to develop strategies that promote critical thinking skills in students
- Consulted and provided professional development to enhance programming for gifted students alongside general education teachers
- Organized curriculum-related field trips and seminars to extend enrichment opportunities for students
- Coordinate with administrators to ensure compliance with district policies and procedures
- Collaborate with teachers, media specialists, and technology coordinators to offer a continuum of services supporting gifted students
- Prepared, implemented, and evaluated annual educational plans tailored to each student's assessed needs
- Provide coordinated plans to enrich, and accelerate district curriculum appropriate for advanced learners
- Create flexible schedules to provide optimal opportunities for gifted students
- Schuylkill Valley Middle School is a nationally recognized 'Schools to Watch' through the Pennsylvania Governor's Award of Excellence in Education award
- Led the school's 'Genius Hour' STEM Club to promote creativity and problem-solving skills in students
- Prepared lesson plans and materials to teach advanced concepts to gifted students
Gifted Education Teacher (K-12)
Schuylkill Valley School District
Leesport
07.2020 - 07.2024
- Developed individualized education plans for diverse student needs
- Collaborated with teachers to integrate gifted programs into classrooms
- Facilitated workshops for parents on supporting gifted learners at home
- Implemented enrichment activities to challenge advanced students academically
- Conducted assessments to identify students eligible for gifted education services
- Organized student-led projects to promote critical thinking and creativity
- Mentored fellow educators on best practices in gifted education strategies
- Consulted with school personnel regarding curriculum modifications necessary for meeting the needs of gifted learners
- Utilized various assessment tools including rubrics, rating scales, surveys, and interviews to measure student achievement
- Prepared, implemented and evaluated annual educational plan for each student based on individually assessed needs in accordance with district procedures
- Expanded, enriched, and accelerated district curriculum as appropriate for advanced learners
- Attended workshops, conferences and continuing education classes to learn latest trends in gifted education
Graduate Reading Program Adjunct Instructor
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown
05.2022 - 08.2022
- ERS 579: Practicum in Literacy Instruction: Struggling Readers and Writers
- Developed and implemented course syllabi, lesson plans, and assessments to align with literacy instruction goals
- Facilitated active learning through class discussions, group activities, and individual projects
- Provided constructive feedback on student assignments to promote student success
- Evaluated student performance using assessment techniques and delivered timely feedback to support academic growth
- Mentored students in the development of their research skills and critical thinking abilities
- Utilized a variety of instructional strategies to meet diverse learning needs
- Integrated technology into classroom to enhance instruction and improve communication with students
- Collaborated with other faculty members in developing curricula for courses taught at multiple campuses
Fourth Grade Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
Leesport
06.2008 - 01.2020
- Instrumentally worked as a team of administrators, reading specialists, and teachers to win the International Literacy Association's (ILA) prestigious literary award for the 2018 Exemplary Reading Program Award, in recognition of its outstanding reading and language arts curriculum
- Utilized a co-teaching collaborative model to ensure the classroom was inclusive to all students with a focus on data-driven decision-making and created an original reading intervention curriculum explained through the doctoral study: https://research.library.kutztown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=edddissertations
- Collaborated with Language Arts Committee to develop and implement curriculum strategies that enhance student engagement and literacy skills
- Participated in Title I School-Wide Planning Team to improve educational outcomes
- Co-taught Teacher In-Service lesson focused on differentiation strategies in K-12 English Language Arts, promoting inclusive teaching practices among peers
- Contributed to math intervention committee focused on student achievement
- Provided professional development as a teacher-leader for the 'Technology in the Classroom' Initiative
- Actively coached participants in the Reading Olympics
- Trained and mentored peers in mediation techniques
- Directed student activities for Panther Pride School-Wide Assembly, fostering school spirit and community involvement
- Coordinated the Trout in The Classroom (TIC) initiative
- Coordinated the 4-H Embryology in the Classroom project
- Coordinated activities for the Star Lab Planetarium
Third Grade Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
Leesport
06.2011 - 01.2012
- Collected and reflected on data to tailor instruction for student needs
- Facilitated weekly collaborative team meetings to evaluate and enhance student progress
- Implemented differentiated instruction strategies in Math and Language Arts to meet diverse learning needs
Second Grade Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
Leesport
06.2007 - 01.2008
- Implemented differentiated instruction in Math and Language Arts to meet diverse student needs
- Co-led teacher in-service on differentiation strategies in Language Arts to enhance instructional practices
- Collected and analyzed data to inform instructional decisions and improve student learning outcomes
- Wide range of reading assessments used to track student progress
Title I Reading Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
Leesport
06.2006 - 01.2007
- Collaborated with reading specialist to implement targeted teaching strategies for improved student engagement
- Small group interventionist and provided remediation support
- Performed data collection and analysis to inform instructional practices.
- Supported teachers in facilitating student-led conferences through structured small-group instruction
Personal Care Paraprofessional
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
Leesport
06.2005 - 01.2006
- Assisted one student with personal care, speech, and academic needs
- Implemented PECS system to enhance student communication skills
- Collaborated with behavior team, teachers, and parents
Fourth Grade Long-Term Substitute
Muhlenberg Elementary Center
Reading
06.2004 - 01.2005
- Collected and reflected on data to tailor instruction for individual student needs
- Facilitated weekly collaborative team meetings to evaluate and enhance student progress
- Implemented differentiated instruction strategies in Math and Language Arts to support diverse learning styles
- Data collection and reflection used to guide instruction
Education
Doctor of Education - Transformational Teaching and Learning
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown, PA05-2021
M.Ed. - Elementary Education; Reading Specialist Certification
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown, PA05-2010
B.S.Ed. - Elementary Education, Concentration in Reading
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown, PA05-2004
Skills
- Gifted curriculum design
- Gifted pedagogy
- Gifted identification
- Gifted research
- Differentiated instruction
- Curriculum development
- Assessment analysis
- Data-driven instruction
- Instructional materials selection
- Standards alignment
- Advanced content integration
- Inquiry-based learning
- Educational leadership
- Collaborative teaching
- Student support
- Gifted advocacy
- Gifted policy
- Parent-teacher collaboration
- Professional development
- Educational planning
- Gifted programming
Affiliations
- Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE)
- National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
- Keystone State Literacy Association, Delaware Valley Chapter (KSLA)
- Children's Literature Association (CLA)
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
- Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER)
- Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate (CPED)
- Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)
- National Education Association (NEA)
Higher Education Experience
- Professional Development Instructor/Guest Speaker, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA, 2024- current
- Graduate Reading Program Adjunct Instructor, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, 2022
Education Degrees
- Doctor of Education, Transformational Teaching and Learning, 05/21/21, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA
- M.Ed., Elementary Education; Reading Specialist Certification, 05/10/10, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA
- B.S.Ed., Elementary Education, Concentration in Reading, 05/04/04, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA
Education Certifications
- Doctor of Education, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, Transformational Teaching and Learning, 05/21/21
- M.Ed., Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, Elementary Education; Reading Specialist Certification, 05/10/10
- B.S.Ed., Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, Elementary Education, Concentration in Reading, 05/04/04
Research And Professional Interests
- Transactional vs. Transformational Giftedness
- Gamification and game-based learning
- Transformational teaching and learning pedagogy
- Curricular differentiation practices
- Student activism and community-based change agency projects
- Global citizenship standards for gifted education programs
- Use of authentic texts to connect literacy education to real-world applications through multimodal instruction
- Literacy practices through project-based and problem-based learning
- Change agency through book club models
Academic Publications
Schucker, E., & McDonald, T. (in preparation). Stories that guide from the gifted side. Manuscript in preparation for submission to Routledge.
Professional Speaking And Engagement
- Schucker, E., & McDonald, T. (2026). G2: Geared up for gifted education summit [Founders and keynote speakers]. DeSales University & Muhlenberg College Cooperative, Center Valley, PA.
- Schucker, E., & McDonald, T. (2025). Gifted education brain waves workshop [Invited presentation]. DeSales University, Center Valley, PA.
- Schucker, E., & McDonald, T. (2025). Piecing together a professional support model for the gifted education mosaic: Fostering strong partnerships through teacher preparation and professional development [Conference presentation]. PAC-TE, Harrisburg, PA.
- Schucker, E., & McDonald, T. (2025). Gifted: The patchwork quilt [Invited presentation]. DeSales University, Center Valley, PA.
- Schucker, E., & McDonald, T. (2025). Introduction to gifted education for the classroom teacher [Invited presentation]. DeSales University, Center Valley, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2025). INgenioUS: Podcast engages student change agents to explore the perplexity of perfectionism [Conference presentation]. National Association for Gifted Education (NAGC), Pittsburgh, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2025). Gamification for good: Student game designs encourage transformational giftedness [Poster presentation]. National Association for Gifted Education (NAGC), Pittsburgh, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2025). What’s your superpower? Unleashing the superhero potential of twice-exceptional gifted and dyslexic students [Invited keynote presentation]. Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Millersville, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2025). Let’s talk about enrichment: Patching it all together [Webinar]. Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE).
- Schucker, E. (2024). Differentiation and the continuum of complexity [Webinar]. Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE).
- Schucker, E. (2024). Gamification for good: Leveraging game designs to empower gifted students as change agents [Conference presentation]. Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE), Pittsburgh, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2023). From makerspace to “changemaker”-space: Transformative STEM-based agency opportunities; Civic agents of change: Environmental justice-themed book club empowers gifted authors [Conference presentation]. National Association for Gifted Education (NAGC), Orlando, FL.
- Schucker, E. (2023). From makerspace to “changemaker”-space: Transformative STEM-based agency opportunities; Civic agents of change: Environmental justice-themed book club empowers gifted authors [Conference presentation]. Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE), Harrisburg, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2022). Changed agents: Cultivating social justice and change through critical literacy [Conference presentation]. American Reading Forum (ARF), Sanibel Island, FL.
- Schucker, E. (2022). Changed agents: Cultivating social justice and change through critical literacy [Conference presentation]. Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA), Hershey, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2022). If you give a kid a book club [Conference presentation]. Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA), Hershey, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2021). Change agents in action [Conference presentation]. Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER), Hilton Head, SC.
- Schucker, E. (2020). Dissertation in practice [Conference presentation]. Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER).
- Schucker, E. (2020). Changed by the power of book clubs [Conference presentation]. Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA), Hershey, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2020). Critical literacy [Guest lecture]. Kutztown University Library Sciences in Education Department, Kutztown, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2020). Critical literacy [Guest lecture]. Kutztown University Critical Literacy Master’s Program, Kutztown, PA.
- Schucker, E. (2018). Critical literacy through the power of book clubs [Conference presentation]. Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA), Hershey, PA.
Websites
- Gifted Classroom Website, https://sites.google.com/schuylkillvalley.org/elizabethschucker/home
- LinkedIn Profile, https://www.linkedin.com/publicprofile/settings?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile
- Facebook Profile, https://www.facebook.com/share/Wv8q9MXcFvvDkxez/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Podcast, https://open.spotify.com/show/5JKMv3vgJ1SUujPxKALKqQ
Awards
- 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
Community Service
- BYC Parents' 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
Leadership Experience
- Gifted Education Professional Development
- Specializing in Transformational vs. Transactional Gifted Education
- Academic Progress Evaluation
- Published Chapter Author
- State and National Conference Speaker
- Podcast Creator and Host
- Remote Learning Coordination
- Collaborative Faculty Engagement
- Facilitate Online Webinars
- Student Academic Advisement
- Learning Management Systems
- Social Media Coordinator
- Gifted Curriculum Engagement
- Schuylkill Valley Middle School Professional Development Committee Member, 2024, Present
- PAGE Board Member, Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2023, Present
- Creator and Host of the 'Turning the PAGE Podcast', Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2024, Present
- Conference Committee (NAGC Local Host Committee), Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2024, Present
- Legislative Committee, Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2024, Present
- Social Media Coordinator, Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, 2024, 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
- Chapter Reviewer, Teaching Challenged and Challenging Topics in Diverse and Inclusive Literature, 2022, 2023
- SVEF (Schuylkill Valley Education Foundation) Secretary and Middle School Representative, Schuylkill Valley School District, Leesport, PA, 2022, Present
- Language Arts Committee Member, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Leesport, PA, 2016, 2020
- Manuscript Reviewer, Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER) Yearbook, 2022, Present
- 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
- 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
Timeline
Gifted Education Teacher (grades 5-8)
Schuylkill Valley School District
07.2024 - Current
Graduate Reading Program Adjunct Instructor
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
05.2022 - 08.2022
Gifted Education Teacher (K-12)
Schuylkill Valley School District
07.2020 - 07.2024
Third Grade Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
06.2011 - 01.2012
Fourth Grade Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
06.2008 - 01.2020
Second Grade Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
06.2007 - 01.2008
Title I Reading Teacher
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
06.2006 - 01.2007
Personal Care Paraprofessional
Schuylkill Valley Elementary
06.2005 - 01.2006
Fourth Grade Long-Term Substitute
Muhlenberg Elementary Center
06.2004 - 01.2005
Doctor of Education - Transformational Teaching and Learning
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
M.Ed. - Elementary Education; Reading Specialist Certification
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
B.S.Ed. - Elementary Education, Concentration in Reading
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania