Brandi Gribble Mathers, Ph.D.

Office Phone: 724-847-6579
bgmather@geneva.edu

• Education

Degrees Received

• Ph.D., 2004, The University of Akron
• M.Ed. Educational Theory and Practice, 1996, The Ohio State University
• B.A. English, 1995, Kenyon College

Courses Taught

• EDU 335 - Advanced Teaching of Reading
• EDU 413 - Content Literacy in the Secondary Classroom
• EDU 420 - Educational Assessment
• EDU 474 - Teaching Reading to the Exceptional Child
• EDU 533 - Curriculum, Assessment, and Standards
• EDU 534 - Assessment and Instruction of Reading Difficulties
• EDU 574 - Teaching Reading to the Exceptional Child
• EDU 591 - Professional Writing

Publications

• Mathers, B. G., & Stern, A. J. (2008). Café culture: Promoting empowerment and pleasure in adolescent literacy learning. Manuscript submitted to Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy.
• Mathers, B. G., Steigerwald, S., & Shea, C. A. (2008). “Most of the focus was on reading”: A comparison of elementary teachers’ preparation in reading and writing.  Manuscript submitted to Celebrating the Voices of Literacy: The Thirtieth Yearbook. Commerce, TX: Texas A&M University: The College Reading Association.
• Mathers, B. G. (2008). Students’ perceptions of “fun” suggest new possibilities for literacy learning: “You can be entertained and informed.” Manuscript submitted to Reading Horizons.
• Mathers, B. G., Kushner Benson, S. N., & Newton, E.  (2006/2007). “The teacher said my story was excellent”: Preservice teachers reflect on the role of the “external” in writing. Journalof Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 50(4), 290-297.
• Mathers, B. G., Pfundstein, T. & Kushner Benson, S. N. (2002, October). Student-response patterns in the distance-education classroom. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Midwest Educational Research Association, Columbus, OH.
• Spickard Prettyman, S., Kushner Benson, S. N., Mathers, B. G., Laipply, R., Watkins, D., Xu, M., Wyss, L. L., & Chipman, M. (2005, April). The journey from student to scholar: Diverse perspectives on the process of becoming a researcher. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada.

Presentations

• Mathers, B. G. (2007). Student-generated definitions of “fun” suggest new possibilities for the teaching and learning of literacy. To be presented at the annual meeting of the International Reading Association, Atlanta, GA.
• Mathers, B. G., Steigerwald, S. & Shea, C. (2007, November). An examination of teachers’ preparation in reading and writing and its implications for the classroom. Presented at the annual meeting of the College Reading Association, Salt Lake City, UT.
• Mathers, B. G. (2007, October). Writing to learn. Presented at Kent State/University of Akron/Youngstown State Reading Conference, Kent, OH.
• Mathers, B. G. (2007, March). Using rubrics to improve assessment.  Presented at Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2007, January). Critical thinking: Learning to learn. Presented for Learning and Transition Program at Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2006, December). Classroom assessment. Presented to Physical Education Department at Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.
• Mathers, B. G., Snodgrass, K. J. & Stein, E.  (2006, November). “It bores me”: Elementary students discuss their feelings about reading and writing.  Presented at the annual meeting of the College Reading Association, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Mathers, B. G., Kushner Benson, S. N., & Newton, E.  (2006, November). “It’s always too much like work”: Preservice teachers reflect on the role of effort in writing. Presented at the annual meeting of the College Reading Association, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2006, October). Reading to learn: Active reading. Presented at Kent State/University of Akron/Youngstown State Reading Conference, Youngstown, OH.
• Mathers, B. G. (2006, September). Critical thinking: Learning to learn. Presented for Learning and Transition Program at Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2006, May). Improving assessment. Presented to Math, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, Biology and Chemistry Departments at Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2005, November). Exposing text structure to help students tackle expository text. Presented at Kent State/University of Akron/Youngstown State Reading Conference, Akron, OH.
• Mathers, B. G., Kushner Benson, S. N., & Newton, E.  (2005, November). “The teacher said my story was excellent”: Preservice teachers explain their successes and failures in writing. Presented at the annual meeting of the College Reading Association, Savannah, GA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2005, October). Effective teaching of expository text. Presented at Beaver County Christian School teacher inservice, Beaver Falls, PA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2005, February). Assessment in the college classroom. Presented at Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.
• Mathers, B. G. (2004, November). Creating student authors: Writing for publication and presentation. Presented at Kent State/University of Akron/Ohio Council of the International Reading Association Reading Conference, Kent, OH.
• Mathers, B. G. (2004, November). Surviving graduate school: It can be done. Presented at University of Akron E-Doc meeting, Akron, OH.
• Mathers, B. G. (2003, November). Reading and writing across the curriculum. Presented at Kent State University/University of Akron Reading Conference, Akron, OH.
• Mathers, B. G. (2003, October). Assessment and instruction of adult literacy learners. Presented at Literacy Volunteers training workshop, Ithaca, NY.
• Mathers, B. G. (2002, November). Using dialogues to improve reading comprehension. Presented at Kent State University/University of Akron Reading Conference, Kent, OH.

Current Projects

• My current research project has resulted in a manuscript entitled “Café culture: Promoting empowerment and pleasure in adolescent literacy learning.”

Awards & Distinctions Received

• Faculty Research Fellow, Geneva College, 2007
• Alpha Chi Honor Scholarship Society, Honorary Member, 2007
• Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 2007
• Leone Frank Dickinson Scholar, The University of Akron, 2004
• William Root Endowed Scholar, The University of Akron, 2003
• Vincinzella Cianciola Memorial Scholar, The University of Akron, 2002
• Esther G. Burkett Teacher Scholar, The University of Akron, 2002
• Target Teacher Scholar, The University of Akron, 2001
• Ohio Regents’ Fellow, The Ohio State University, 1996
• R. Richard McNeal Scholar, The Ohio State University, 1996
• Emerson & Lucy Zuck Scholar, The Ohio State University, 1996
• Phi Delta Kappa Teacher Education Scholar, Kenyon College, 1995
• Elk’s Scholar, Kenyon College, 1995
• Kenyon College Scholar, 1995

Affiliations, e.g., membership in professional organizations, etc.

• College Reading Association
• International Reading Association
• American Educational Research Association

Miscellaneous, e.g., hobbies, sports, personal info, etc.

• I enjoy traveling, writing, photography, teaching aerobics, studying French, and walking my dog, Poco.