After nearly a decade of teaching high school English, debate, theatre, and speech, I joined the Education Department faculty at Antioch University New England, first as the Assistant Director/ Director of what would become the Antioch Center for School Renewal and later as the Director of the Experienced Educators Program, which provides MEds and certificates for working teachers. My portfolio includes our PBL/Critical Skills Classroom concentration and its related programs in STEAM, Digital Learning, Library Media, and School Leadership. My primary areas of study center on the development of teacher’s individual pedagogical approaches, social justice and equity in school restructuring (particularly in rural schools), resistance to change, and student-centered classroom practice. In 2020 I completed a 4-year clinical experience as a school librarian in a 60 student k-6 school. I live in Keene, NH with my husband and two children and can be found on social media @CriticalSkills1
Laura Thomas
Antioch University New England
Educational History
- MEd, Antioch University New England
- BS, University of Missouri
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Thomas, L “Critical Skills Scholars.” 2019-2023
Bay and Paul Foundation, Thomas, L and Watts, H. “Awareness Through the Body.” 2014-2016
School Reform Initiative. Thomas, L. and Dreyer Leon, S. “Three Paths to Change: A Triangulated Evaluation Project of CG Training Models.” 2010-2012
Identifying and Supporting Students With Dyspraxia, Edutopia, December 2, 2019
Morning Meetings in Middle and High School, Edutopia, May 23, 2018
Rejecting the ‘Mean Girl’ Framework, Edutopia, July 11, 2017
Why Representation Matters, Edutopia, August 22, 2016
Confessions of a One Day A Week Librarian, Learning at the EDge, Phi Delta Kappa, March 3, 2016
Book Chapter with Dreyer Leon, S. (2015) Collaboration, Rubrics, and Teacher Evaluation. IIn Tenam-Zemach, M., & In Flynn, J. E. (2015). Rubric Nation: Critical Inquiries on the Impact of Rubrics in Education.
How About We Talk About ‘Grit’ for Policymakers and School Leaders?, Education Week: Teaching Ahead: A Roundtable, March 19, 2014
10 Good Ways to Ensure Bad Professional Learning, Journal of Staff Development, August 2013
Facilitating Authentic Learning, Grades 6-12; Corwin. 2012
From Experience to Meaning: The Critical Skills Classroom, Phi Delta Kappan, October 2009
Mission Control, Teacher Magazine, September 2005
The Buffy Factor: What Educators Should Learn from the Vampire Slayer; Education Week; June 11, 2003
I am a member of the George Lucas Educational Foundation’s Edutopia team as a blogger, Community Facilitator, and Consulting Editor.
Core Faculty,
Education
Director,
Experienced Educators Program
CONTACT INFORMATION
Courses Taught
- Instructional Design
- Assessment as a Focus for Learning
- Facilitation in the Problem Based Classroom
- Philosophy of Education and Change
- Practicum: Facilitative Leadership
- Research Topics
- School Change
- The Critical Skills Classroom