Dr. Kimberly Athans joined the School of Education faculty at 国产剧麻豆剧 in 2017. She began her teaching career as a tutor in the writing center at The University of San Diego, where she studied English and education, and where she obtained her teaching credential in 1996. In her twenty years in public education, she has taught middle school language arts in Las Vegas, and AP/IB English, journalism, ninth grade English, and literacy academy for struggling readers in California. Prior to returning to San Diego, she taught dual credit English, and English grades 10-12 at The Woodlands High School, as well as composition and rhetoric courses for Lone Star College in The Woodlands, Texas. Her research interests are in literacy, teaching writing, and the legacy of the National Writing Project.
Education
- Ed.D. (literacy), Sam Houston State University
- M.A. English, University of Houston
- M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction, literacy, University of San Diego
- B.A. English, University of San Diego
Courses Taught
Child & Adolescent Literature
Classroom Assessment and Research Practices
- Teaching Reading & Writing to Secondary Students
- General Methods for Secondary Teachers
- Methods of Teaching Reading & Writing
- Clinical Practice Seminar
- Advanced Literacy Assessment, Instruction, & Intervention
- Curriculum Development, Innovation, & Evaluation
- Content Specific Pedagogy for Secondary Teachers
- Foundations of Education & Learning Theory
Experience in Field
- Best practices teaching writing
- Teaching college composition & rhetoric
- Legacy & transformative nature of the National Writing Project
- Reading in the digital age; multi-modal literacies
Professional and Community Involvement
- Peer Reviewer for NCTE & English Journal
- Character Education Resource Center Advisory Committee, University of San Diego
- National Writing Project Fellow/Teacher Consultant
- California Association of Teachers of English
- National Council of Teachers of English
- Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts
- University Supervisor, 国产剧麻豆剧
- California Young Reader's Medal Committee Member
Awards and Honors
- 国产剧麻豆剧 Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Faculty Writing Retreat Recipient, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Highlighted Alumni, SOLES, University of San Diego, 2019
- New Teacher of the Year, Robison Junior High School, 1996
Dissertations, Presentations, and Publications
Publications
- Athans, K. (2024). 鈥淭eaching among the tumbleweeds: Helping new teachers thrive鈥�. California English, 30 (1).
- Roseboro, A. & Steffel, S., & Athans, K. (contributor) et al. (2023). Empowering learners: Teaching different genres to diverse student bodies. Rowman & Littlefield.
- Athans, K. (2023). "A mirror to the soul: Teaching culturally & linguistically diverse populations", California English, 29 (1).
- Athans, K. (2023). 鈥淧oetry is a vibe: Engaging students with poetry鈥�. California English, 28 (3).
- Athans, K. (2022). "You can't dab ink in a dry well: Creating confident passionate writers". California English, 28, (1).
- Athans, K. (2022). "I like you just the way you are: Why secondary teachers need Fred Rogers". English in Texas, 52 (1).
- Athans, K. & Sheryl Clark. (2022). 鈥淏e the candle & the mirror that reflects it: The place of canonical & popular culture texts in our classrooms鈥�. California English, 27 (3).
- Athans, K. (2022). "The mystique of the national writing project", Texas Journal of Literacy Education, 9 (2).
- Athans, K. (2022). 鈥淭he residue of the old mellows and sweetens the new: What Alan Jacobs teaches us in his book breaking bread with the dead鈥�. English in Texas, 51 (2).
- Athans, K. (2021). 鈥淏uilding a cathedral鈥�. California English, 27 (2).
- Athans, K. (2021). 鈥淪peculative writing as a habit of mind鈥�. California English, 26 (4).
- Athans, K. (2021). 鈥淧oetry discussion groups in the secondary English classroom鈥�. English Journal, 110 (5).
- Athans, K. (2020). 鈥淭ide pool to the stars: The aesthetic value of literature鈥�. Signal Journal: The Journal of the International Literacy Association鈥檚 Special Interest Group: Network on Adolescent Literature, 43 (2).
- Athans, K. (2020). 鈥淭ide pool to the stars: Literacy narrative鈥�. California English, 25 (4).
- Athans, K. (2020). 鈥淏alloons in a boundless sky: Teachers who write create students who write鈥�. English in Texas, 49 (2).
- Athans, K. (2019). 鈥淎 red balloon tied to an anchor鈥�. California English, 24 (4).
- Athans, K. (2019) 鈥淢y Old Professor鈥�. University of San Diego Alumni Magazine, Spring.
- Athans, K. (2018). National writing project fellows鈥� perceptions of themselves as writers and as teachers of writing. Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas.
- Athans, K. (2016). 鈥淏ook review: The pleasures of reading in an age of distraction鈥�, English in Texas, 46 (2).
- Benge, C., Athans, K. et al. (2016). 鈥淯sing academic notebooks in doctoral writing: An investigation of doctoral students鈥� and instructors鈥� perceptions鈥�. AERA Conference, Washington D.C.
Presentations
- Speculative Writing as a Habit of Mind, San Marcos Writing Project, Cal State San Marcos, June 2023 & 2024
- Which Texts Work as Windows and Mirrors for Your Students? Character Education Conference, University of San Diego, June 2019
- Live United! An Integration of Science & Faith; Integrating Christian Elements in Clinical Practice; Point Loma Nazarene University, April 2019
- Literacy Practices for Secondary Teachers, University of Maine, December 2018
- Close Reading Using Cornell Notes, Conroe ISD, August 2016
- State of our Schools Superintendent鈥檚 Address, The Woodlands High School, September 2015
- Painless Poetry: Exciting Ways to Engage Students in their Understanding and Appreciation of Poetry, Conroe ISD, August 2015
- Professional Learning Communities in Action, The Woodlands High School, August 2015
- Commonplace Books in the Literature Classroom, Conroe ISD, August 2014
- The Pleasures of Reading in a Digital Age, Lone Star College UP, January 2014
- Poetry Circles in the Secondary Classroom, Reading & Writing Conference, Sam Houston State University, September 2013
- Read Around Groups, Sam Houston Writing Project, June 2013
- Inquiry Circles, CISD District Cadre, February 2013
- Poetry Circles in the Secondary Classroom, Conroe ISD, August 2012
- Literature Circles in the Secondary Classroom, Conroe ISD, August 2011
- Visual Rhetoric & Media Literacy, Lone Star College, June 2010
