Jennifer Albro teaches graduate courses in literacy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. She also coaches and mentors graduate students in the Urban Teachers program. She has previously taught techniques in reading instruction at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a former elementary education teacher and reading specialist.
She holds a doctorate from University of Maryland, College Park’s Department of Teaching and Learning and has completed two master’s degrees, one in the teaching of reading and one in holistic education. She is the founder of Pages and Chapters, a Kansas City, Missouri nonprofit that seeks to engage families in the teaching of literacy skills. Albro’s research centers around helping teachers foster relationships with families to build partnerships that support children in their literacy development. She encourages new teachers to build strong relationships with their students’ families and to develop a deeper understanding of students’ social and cultural backgrounds.
Education
• University of Maryland, College Park, Ph.D., Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, 2017
• University of Missouri – Kansas City, Master of Arts in Reading Education, 2012
• Johnson University, Knoxville, Master of Arts in Holistic Education PreK-3, 2009
• Johnson University, Knoxville, Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies/Early Childhood Education, 2008
Academic positions
• Johns Hopkins University Graduate School of Education and Urban Teachers ELA Lecturer and Clinical Faculty, 2017 – present
• Partners in Learning, LLC, Academic Specialist, 2015 – Present
• University of Maryland, College Park, College of Education, Instructor, 2015-16
Other professional positions
• Belton School District, Belton, Missouri, Reading Interventionist, Upper Elementary (5th and 6th grades) 2012 – 14
• Pathway Academy Charter School, Kansas City, Missouri, Second Grade and Third Grade Teacher 2009 – 12
• Pages & Chapters (family literacy nonprofit 501c3), Founder & President 2011 – 17
Awards
• Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award, University of Maryland, College Park, 2017
• Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, University of Maryland, College Park, College of Education, 2017
• 30 Under 30 Rising Literacy Leaders List, International Literacy Association, 2015
Teaching experience
• Elementary Small Group Literacy Practicum
• Field Experience and Student Teaching II
• Selecting Texts for Secondary ELA
Research, Publications, Presentations
• Albro, J., Landa, M., Meishar, M., & Levi, D. (2018). Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Visions for Using Diverse Family Literacy Practices to Guide Instruction, American Education Research Association, New York, New York, April 14. Washington, DC: AERA.
• Albro, J., (2018). Preparing Teachers to Envision Diverse Family Literacy Practices as Key Assets for Instruction, National Council of Teachers of English Assembly of Research Midwinter Conference, Towson, Maryland, March 16-18: NCTEAR.
• Landa, M., Levi, D., Meishar, M., & Albro, J. (2017). Teacher Candidates’ Immersion in Immigrant Communities in Israel and the United States: A Comparative Study, American Education Research Association, San Antonio, Texas, April 30. Washington, DC: AERA.
• Turner, J. D., and Albro, J. (2017) When I grow up: assessing American children’s perspectives on college and career readiness through drawings. Literacy, 51: 94–103. doi: 10.1111/lit.12113