Associate Professor of Education

Phone:
Email: park@juniata.edu
Office:
Office Hours: [Hours]

Biography

Dr. Valerie Park joined the faculty at Juniata in 2003. She received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the Pennsylvania State University, her M.Ed. in reading from Shippensburg State University, and her B.S. in early childhood education from the Pennsylvania State University.

Park has a wealth of teaching experience in primary and secondary schools. She worked as a developmental reading specialist from 2001 to 2003 in the Hollidaysburg Area School District. From 1999 to 2001 she was a teaching assistant at Penn State. From 1985 to 1999, Park worked as a reading specialist in several primary and secondary schools in the Hollidaysburg Area School District. She started her career as a reading specialist at McConnellsburg Elementary School in McConnellsburg, Pa. from 1982 to 1985.

Before specializing in reading education, Park taught third grade at Breezewood Elementary School in Breezewood, Pa. from 1980 to 1981, and taught kindergarten and Head Start at Powellton Elementary School in Powellton, W. Va. from 1979 to 1980.

Dr. Park's interests and research are in the areas of literacy and supervision. She teaches courses in language and literacy, secondary methods, adolescent development, and supervises early childhood, elementary, and secondary education student teachers. Her research has been published in The Journal of Educational Alternatives, Interchange, and Pennsylvania Educational Leadership.

She is a member of the International Reading Association, the Keystone State Reading Association, The Raystown Country Reading Council, Mid-State Reading Council, The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and The Association of Teacher Educators.

Dr. Park and her husband John reside in State College. They have three children, Amie, Sarah and Stephen.