Valerie WalkerFaculty

Lind Professor of Education and Associate Professor in Education

Valerie Struthers Walker is an Associate Professor and Lind Professor of Education here at Gustavus. She began her professional journey as an elementary and middle school teacher in Colorado before moving overseas to teach in two international schools:  the American International School of Bamako (Mali) and the American International School, Vienna (Austria). She returned to the United States to complete her PhD in Curriculum, Teaching and Educational Policy at Michigan State University and was thrilled to join Gustavus' faculty in 2010. 

Dr. Walker currently teaches Elementary Language Arts & Social Studies Methods, Environmental Education for Kids, and a first term seminar on diverse children's literature. She enjoys supervising teacher candidates in their elementary practicum and student teaching placements. Her professional and scholarly activities include serving on the board of the Minnesota Council for the Social Studies, chairing the National Council for the Social Studies Notable Social Studies Trade Book Award Committee, and developing curriculum and professional development in collaboration with organizations such as the Minnesota Council on Economic Education and the Open Windows Literature.

Dr. Walker loves cooking, hiking, and playing games with her family.

Education

Ph.D. in Curriculum, Teaching, & Educational Policy, Michigan State University, 2009; M.A.T. (Elementary Education), Colorado College, 1996; B.A. (Sociology), Colorado College, 1994.


Courses Taught

Past
Synonym Title Times Taught Terms Taught
EDU-372 Elementary Language Arts Methods and Materials 24 2024/SP, 2023/FA, 2023/SP, 2022/FA, 2022/SP, 2021/FA, 2021/SP, 2020/FA, 2020/SP, 2019/FA, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA
EDU-374 Elementary Social Studies Methods and Materials 24 2024/SP, 2023/FA, 2023/SP, 2022/FA, 2022/SP, 2021/FA, 2021/SP, 2020/FA, 2020/SP, 2019/FA, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA
EDU-385 Elementary Interdisciplinary Models and Practicum 23 2023/FA, 2023/SP, 2022/FA, 2022/SP, 2021/FA, 2021/SP, 2020/FA, 2020/SP, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/FA, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA
EDU-320 Literacy K-12 16 2020/SP, 2019/FA, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, 2011/SP, and 2010/FA
FTS-100 FTS:Mirrors/Windows/Child Lit 2 2023/FA and 2022/FA
EDU-220 Environmental Ed 2 2023/JN and 2022/JN
EDU-268 Orientation to Teaching 2 2021/JN and 2020/JN
EDU-373 Elementary Mathematics Methods and Materials 2 2020/SP and 2019/FA
EDU-298 Chal Sem: Env Ed for Kids 1 2024/JN
EDU-392 K-6 Elementary Directed Teaching 1 2021/SP
EDU-395 K-12 Directed Teaching 1 2021/SP
EDU-394 Secondary Directed Teaching 1 2021/SP
EDU-399 Seminar in Curriculum 1 2021/SP