Education

B.S., Elementary Education, East Stroudsburg University
M.Ed., Reading, East Stroudsburg University
Ed.D., Reading and Language Arts, Widener University

Courses Taught

• Reading
• English as a Second Language
• Diversity in Education
• Teaching Methods
• Courses in literacy, mathematics, and social studies

Career Highlights

Jill Purdy is an associate professor and the director of graduate programs in the education department at Cedar Crest College.

Jill cannot remember a time when she didn't want to be a teacher, so it is no surprise to her family that she has been in the teaching field for over 15 years at the middle and elementary levels.

After receiving her bachelor's degree, Jill began teaching in fifth grade in the Easton School District. Shortly after obtaining her master's, Jill moved to a middle level teaching position at Southern Lehigh School District, where she taught English, Reading and Social Studies. Jill's next position was as a Reading Specialist at Salisbury Middle School.

Since joining the faculty at Cedar Crest, Jill has been researching the teaching of English Language Learners. She has enjoyed visiting several ESL classrooms in local school districts. Jill's current position as the graduate program director and assistant professor has allowed her to teach many different courses and occasionally supervise teachers in the field.

"I teach at Cedar Crest to inspire students to become enthusiastic and knowledgeable educators who have a passion for the profession."
--Jill Purdy, Ed.D., Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, Education

Memberships

Jill is a member of the following organizations:

• International Reading Association
• Keystone State Reading Association
• Colonial Area Reading Educators
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• National Science Teachers Association

Education

B.S., Elementary and Special Education, Kutztown University
M.S., Administration and Foundations/Special Education, Kansas State University
Supervision of Special Education, East Stroudsburg University

Courses Taught

• Adaptations, Modifications and Assistive Technology for the Exceptional Child
• Classroom Management
• Classroom Management for Teaching Students with Behavioral Difficulties
• Collaborative Partnerships in Inclusive Settings
• Field IV Experience
• Intensive Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Development and Intervention Approaches
• Practicum in Special Education
• Psycho-Educational Testing for Teachers
• Screening, Assessment, and IEP Development of Teachers
• Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Challenges
• Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities
• Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities
• The Exceptional Child

Career Highlights

Deborah W. Hartman joined the Education Department as a full-time instructor after completing her public school experience as the Executive Director of Special Education for the Allentown School District.  During her 19 years as an administrator in a large urban district, she supervised a full continuum of services including: pre-kindergarten through 12th grade special education programs, gifted education services, Section 504 plans, alternative education, incarcerated youth programs, and specialized services including: speech, deaf/hard of hearing, blind/vision support, occupational therapy, and school psychology services.

Deborah worked in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Education serving as a state-level trainer with the Instruction Support Team initiative and the Student Assistance Programs.  She has also served as a state compliance peer monitor assessing Districts’ compliance to the implementation of state and federal regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Her background also includes the evaluation of Charter School applications and their adherence to the mandates of Charter School services.  Deborah has worked closely with legal counsel regarding student hearings and has testified, as an expert witness, in federal and state level courts.

As a teacher, Deborah has taught preschool, elementary, middle and school levels as both the regular and special education teacher.  She was an educational diagnostician and worked in conjunction with school psychologists in evaluating and designing educational services for students with disabilities.

Deborah has completed coursework at Penn State University earning her the status as a National Writing Project Fellow as well as accomplishing coursework in the Reading Instruction for Special Education (RISE) program.   She has also taken coursework in applied behavioral analysis at East Stroudsburg University and at the Eden Institute in Princeton, NJ. Deborah has provided numerous presentations on a range of topics including: assessment and data analysis, special education regulations, instructional practices, behavior management, functional behavioral analysis, budget planning, universal design for learning, transition planning, response to intervention, and the implementation of legally compliant special education services and programs.

Deborah has served as an adjunct professor at Wilkes University and Cedar Crest College and has been a guest lecturer at DeSales and Lehigh Universities.

“Teaching has been a life-long passion. The opportunity to work with professionals and teachers in training is exciting and rewarding. My goal is to prepare educators to meet the needs of all learners.”

Memberships

• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
• Council for Exceptional Children
• Kappa Delta Pi
• Pennsylvania Association for Elementary and Secondary School Principals
• Technical Advisory Service for Attorneys

Education

B.S. in Early Childhood Elementary Education
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
M.Ed., Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Ph. D. in Educational Leadership
Alvernia University

Courses Taught

• Introduction to Early Childhood Education (Undergraduate and Graduate Levels)
• Social Studies Curriculum and Learning Experiences
• Issues & Advocacy in Early Childhood Education (Undergraduate and Graduate Levels)
• Research Design and Methodology (Graduate)
• Field Experiences (Undergraduate and Graduate)
• Professional Seminar (Undergraduate and Graduate)

Joan M. Kern is an Associate Professor in the Education Department at Cedar Crest College.  Dr. Kern joined Cedar Crest in 2006 after a career as a fourth and fifth grade teacher in area private schools.  She holds Pennsylvania teaching certifications in Early Childhood Education (Nursery to Grade 3) and Elementary Education (Kindergarten to Grade 6).  

Dr. Kern became the Director of Field Experiences and Student Teaching in 2013.  While she enjoys all the courses she teaches at Cedar Crest, she especially enjoys her role as Director.  This aspect of her position allows her to help students to apply what they have learned in their program and see their true potential as a classroom teacher.  It enables her to watch her students achieve their goal of becoming a teacher.  Dr. Kern serves as a liaison between area school districts and the College.  This has been a rewarding experience as well.  Dr. Kern relishes networking with area educators. 

Dr. Kern is the freshmen advisor for the Education Department, and serves as the faculty advisor for the Omega Chi Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society for Education.  Dr. Kern is also a member of Kappa Delta Pi, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the Pennsylvania Association of College and Teacher Educators (PAC-TE).  She represents Cedar Crest on the Teacher Education Forum for the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC). 

Dr. Kern enjoys conducting research on current topics in Education.  Her research interests are: mentoring, first-year teachers, and women’s leadership in higher education.  She is also dedicated to working with thesis students in the Master of Education program. 

Education is constantly evolving. Teachers must be committed to being a lifelong learner.  Be flexible. Accept criticism from others, and use it to improve upon your teaching and learning- your students will benefit from your efforts.