Education

Name: Meghan Horleman

Major: Elementary Education (PreK-4)/Special Education (K-8), American Studies

Projected Graduation/Class Year: 2018

Hometown: Long Beach Island, NJ

Sports/Clubs/Organizations:

• La Salle University Ambassadors Vice President: Fall 2017-Current
• La Salle University Ambassadors Social Chair: Fall 2016-May 2017
• Writers Matters Program Tutor La Salle University
• La Salle University Mentoring Program
• Co-Chair La Salle University Relay for Life
• Active participant in La Salle University LIVE programs
• Participant in Student Education Association
• Participant in American Studies Association
• Alpha Epsilon Alumni Honors Society

What helped you decide on your major?
I feel as though all young children, at some point, go through a phase of wanting to be a teacher: playing school, pretending to be the teacher, “grading papers.” I see myself as the girl who really never grew out of that phase. Since I can remember I have wanted to be an elementary school teacher. When I was applying to colleges, I entertained the idea of other majors, such as speech pathology, or communications, but something always drew me back to becoming a teacher and making a difference in the lives of young children. Throughout my educational experience, I have had some amazing and incredibly impactful teachers. I hope to someday serve as that same inspiration for the young children within my future classroom.

What has your experience in La Salle’s program been like so far?
Something that really drew me to La Salle was the reputation of their Education program. My experience with the program thus far has been nothing short of amazing. I was exposed to field experience starting the second semester of my freshman year, and have had some type of experience every semester following. I was able to get myself into the classroom and observe the students and teachers to see if Education was truly the fit for me. I have had the opportunity to work with a range of students from grades PreK through 3^rd grade, which has really given me great experiences to take with me into my future career.

Who has been the most influential member of the La Salle community on your life?
The most influential member of the La Salle Community on my life would have to be Dr. Kimberly Lewinski, one of the Education department professors here at La Salle. I have had the opportunity to have Dr. Lewinski for three courses within the education, with each course better than the last. Dr. Lewinski brings her educational background and teaching experience into the classroom. Within her classes, I always felt comfortable to ask any question I had, knowing no question was a dumb question. If you ever needed any type of resource for a lesson that you were teaching, or advice on how to teach something, Dr. Lewinski was always happy to help. My Lasallian experience truly would not have been complete without her!

What is your advice to any high school students thinking about entering the Education program at La Salle?
My biggest piece of advice is to take advantage of every opportunity given to you. Entering the classroom for your first field experience can be incredibly terrifying. But the most important thing I can say is to get to know your cooperating teacher and get involved with the students right away. They want to know you just as much as you want to know them. The more comfortable you make yourself, the more comfortable your students will be. Never let an opportunity pass you by because you were too scared to get involved!

Laura Roy (Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio) is Associate Professor and Chair of Education at La Salle University.  Laura’s program of research is interdisciplinary, drawing primarily from critical and sociocultural theories in order to examine the places where new and existing communities meet and intersect.  At the core of her work is a concern for and commitment to equity, social justice, and ant-racist teacher activism.  Her record of publication centers  primarily on the classroom and community experiences of refugee and immigrant populations in the US, examining the intersections of race, culture, language, and other markers of identity.  She is particularly interested in the discursive practices in the classroom that cultivate or marginalize students’ unique cultural and literate histories.  This work has appeared in journals such as the Harvard Educational Review, Urban Review, and the TESOL Journal. As a teacher educator, Laura is committed to supporting teacher research and teacher voice, including collaboration on research projects and co-presenting at national conferences.  Laura is active in the American Education Research Association (AERA), serving as a section co-chair for the AERA Division G program committee, co-chair of the AERA Division G Early Career Scholar seminar, and is now Division G Secretary.