April Lawrence Ed.D. ’17 joins W&M faculty

This fall, the School of Education welcomes new faculty members. Today, we introduce Clinical Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction April Lawrence Ed.D. ’17 who is joining our Curriculum & Instruction faculty.

Tell us a little about your background and what brought you to W&M.

I spent the first half of my career as a high school English teacher and came to William & Mary to complete the Doctorate in Educational Planning, Policy and Leadership while working as a classroom teacher. That led me to adjunct opportunities within the School of Education and to full-time positions in Academic Technology and in Field & Clinical Placements. My true passion, though, is in teaching and in helping new teachers become the best teacher they can possibly be in order to do great things for K-12 kids in schools.

What’s your area of research and what question are you most passionate about answering right now?

I want to know what makes teachers flourish and what keeps them in the field. I’m also curious about the gap in professional literacy knowledge between elementary and secondary teachers and look forward to exploring both questions with my colleagues.

What else are you hoping to get involved with on campus or in the community?

I love spending time in our K-12 partner schools and look forward to more community based partnerships between the School of Education and our regional partners.