"I think a small liberal arts institution is a superb setting for teacher education. Wittenberg has a reputation for graduating superior teachers. When I graduated from Wittenberg, I was well prepared for both classroom teaching and graduate school. I am very pleased to return to this caring community to help train teachers for the children of the future."
Lora L. Lawson, Assistant Professor of Education, joined the Department of Education in August of 1999. This year she teaches courses in reading / language arts and in integrating the arts across the curriculum. She previously taught courses in reading, children's literature, early childhood education, and child development at the University of Dayton and The Ohio State University.
She represents Wittenberg University in the Arts Alive Program with the Springfield City Schools, the Clark County Schools, and the Clark State Performing Arts Center. This Kennedy Center Partnership, dedicated to lifelong learning in and through the arts, offers professional development programs for teachers. Dr. Lawson serves as an Ohio PRAXIS III assessor of entry year teachers. As an Ohio Board of Examiners member, she reviews teacher education programs for state accreditation.
Her recent research, writing and presentations center on aspects of early literacy learning. Her dissertation focused on peer teaching and learning. Her work with Drs. Karin Dahl, Patricia Scharer and Patricia Grogan on a U. S. Department of Education: Office of Educational Research and Improvement research grant project focused on phonics instruction.
Dr. Lawson received her B. A. in education in 1972, specializing in kindergarten and special education. Her M. A. (1993) in gifted education and Ph.D. (1998) in education are from The Ohio State University.