Biography
Juanita has served as an adjunct professor at both Berry College and Rockford University. She recently came from a teaching position as an instructor at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Prior to that, she served two internships, one at WIDA Early Years and at Purdue University. Before higher education, she worked as a school teacher in clinical and non-clinical positions across elementary and secondary settings. Juanita’s experiences as an educator and her commitment to equity and inclusion inspire her current research agenda.
Research Interests
Early literacy, culturally responsive instruction, multicultural education, critical pedagogy, and young multilingual learners with disabilities.
Teaching
- EDU 340 Multiculturalism and Culturally Responsive Teaching Through Sheltered Instruction
- ELED 369 Writing Methods
- ELED 421 Methods of Literacy Instruction for the Fluent Reader
- ELED 492 Student Teaching
Educational Background
- Ph.D. candidate in reading, language, and literacy at Concordia University-Chicago
- M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction at Arizona State University
- Special education licensure and TESOL endorsement at Brigham Young University
- B.A. in psychology at Brigham Young University–Hawaii