Position
Academic Background
Sample Courses   
Teaching Philosophy
Research & Interests   
Notable Academic Appointments & Awards
Publication Highlights     
Selected Scholarly Presentations and Activities

                                                                        View Other Faculty Profiles

• Assistant Professor of Elementary/Special Education

Academic Background         

• The Graduate Center, CUNY Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (Learning, Development, and Instruction: Literacy Acquisition), 2006
• University of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Arts in English (Women's Literature), 1996

• Methods and Materials in Teaching Literacy
• Seminar in Meeting the Demands of the At-Risk Learner (phonology section)

Teaching Philosophy

I believe that knowledge is socially constructed. The primary role of a teacher is to guide learning in order to facilitate productive exploration of the subject matter. Recognizing how much we all have to learn from one another-in the classroom and out-is paramount to this philosophy. As an academic doing research in education, therefore, my aspiration is to make lasting contributions to the community. I aim not to conduct research in isolation, but to forge strong relationships with public schools and their students in order to positively contribute to our national conversation over curricula and methods of teaching.

It is my experience that when students are given a joyful environment in which to learn along with a real-world context for their lessons, education is fun rather than a struggle. At the college level, I have seen this both in my own classrooms and while working with Writing Across the Curriculum at CUNY. For example, students who have never learned formal grammar do not write technically correct papers when they are simply instructed to proofread. Fluent writing grows out of copious practice and a personal connection to the subject matter. Once instilled with a love for writing and given an authentic purpose for creating formal prose and punctuation, the student follows through independently.

Encouraging a curiosity about the world and giving students the means with which to explore that curiosity is the primary duty of a teacher. This is achieved through active learning experiences and positive interactions. Once students are empowered to learn, they are empowered to achieve.

Research & Interests

My research focuses primarily on the development of effective classroom instructional practices to enhance instruction in reading. In my experience as a researcher, a tutor, and a teacher, I have encountered many children of diverse backgrounds and ability levels. A commonality I have found among all of the elementary school classrooms I have visited is a love for word play. For example, one of the most popular activities I have enjoyed with the children is writing riddles. One goal of mine, therefore, is to provide evidence that this type of linguistic facility builds stronger reading comprehension and enthusiasm for reading. Another is to assist classroom teachers in developing methods for differentiating the literacy instruction they provide.

• Providence College CAFR Grant: "Metalinguistic awareness instruction and pre-readers: The effect of increased oral language ability on future reading comprehension," 2007-2008
• CUNY Writing Fellow with Writing Across the Curriculum, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006

Publication Highlights

• Zipke, M. (in press). Metalinguistic awareness and reading comprehension. Reading psychology.
• Zipke, M., Ehri, L..E., & Cairns, H. (2006). Metalinguistic awareness improves third-graders' reading comprehension. Manuscript in preparation.
• Zipke, M. (2005). Everyone's a comedian: Write your own jokes and riddles. In Don't forget to write: 54 enthralling and effective writing assignments for students 6-18 (J. Traig, Ed.) San Francisco: 826 Valencia. (pp.37-18).

Selected Scholarly Presentations and Activities

• Faculty advisor to Alpha Upsilon Alpha Honor Society at Providence College. Guide students in the completion of literacy-themed community service projects, bookclub discussions, and guest speaker invitations. Collaborate with Volunteers in Providence Schools and the International Reading Association to set and meet appropriate goals for the society. September, 2006 - Present.
• Zipke, M. & Ehri, L., (2005, June). Metalinguistic awareness and reading comprehension. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Toronto, ON.
• Ehri, L., Rosenthal, J. L., & Zipke, M. (2003, June). Contribution of alphabetic enrichment to the repeated reading of text for struggling readers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Boulder, CO.

 View Other Faculty Profiles