Kathleen Fay

Kathleen earned her teaching degrees from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. She's been teaching since 1990 and has taught at Bailey's Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia, since 1992 in various roles. She is currently a Reading Recovery teacher and a Language Arts Resource teacher and especially enjoys collaborating and co-teaching.

When Kathleen decided to become a teacher, she found an excellent mentor in her aunt, Pat Johnson, also a Stenhouse author. "During my first years of teaching, Pat and I would go for walks and discuss how best to teach specific children and how to set up an engaging learning environment for reading and writing. Our relationship gradually changed from one of mentor/mentee to colleagues who think and learn together. Now this is the type of relationship I try to form with teachers."

Kathleen and her Stenhouse coauthor, Suzanne Whaley, consult on topics related to their book throughout the country and conduct workshops for Fairfax County teachers. When it comes to conducting a workshop for other teachers, "I try to combine theory with practical applications. Understanding the purpose behind a practice is essential as we learn to make instructional decisions to improve student achievement." Working in classrooms where the majority of students are English Language Learners, Kathleen and her colleagues are continually tailoring their instruction to meet the needs of all learners.

Kathleen is involved in teacher research focused on critical literacy. "I think critical literacy is an important area to consider. Broadening the idea of text and considering the language we use benefits all students and, in particular gives ELL students greater access to ways of being and participating in an English speaking classroom."