Elementary Education

Rita Gordon is the director of Elementary Education programs and director of the online Mathematics Education M.Ed. program. She structures the math courses that she teaches so that students enjoy mathematics, believe that mathematics is useful and makes sense, and feel confident in their ability to do mathematics. She brings a rich skill set from her many years of experience in educational administration Pre-K though adults, a strong commitment to public schools, and a positive learning environment that is supportive, professional, and dynamic.  

Rita also co-directs the Teacher Residency Programs at Lesley.

Laura Schall-Leckrone teaches in and leads the graduate Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Bilingual Education (TESOL/BE) programs at Lesley. Prior to completing her doctorate, she worked for seventeen years as a bilingual teacher, Spanish teacher, and K-12 curriculum director in city and suburban public schools. Her scholarship and collaborative work in teacher education and educational linguistics seek to bridge knowledge production in K-12 schools and higher education to improve learning opportunities for multilingual learners.

Her research includes a focus on equipping history teachers to teach critical literacies; practitioner research in TESOL and bilingual teacher preparation; and a linguistic ethnography of a K-6 multilingual school in a gateway community.

Along with recent graduates of the masters’ in TESOL and Bilingual Education program, Laura recently received a President’s Innovation Challenge grant to support the creation of a Bilingual Educator Leadership Network (BELN). Read more about the BELN collaborative

Laura also was one of the speakers at the annual 2021 June Fox Lecture focused on Inquiry in Educational Equity with colleagues Grace Enriquez and Nettrice Gaskins. Read more about this event.

Mike teaches in the elementary education programs in the Graduate School of Education. He brings to Lesley University 35 years of experience in public school teaching, coaching, and administration. Mike's courses reflect a synthesis of both theory and practice as he creates and implements instruction for education and general education students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at the University. 

Dr. Susan Rauchwerk

I currently serve as a Professor of Education and Associate Chair for STEAM in the Graduate School of Education. I direct the Lesley University WonderLab, a research and practice incubator for urban greenspace education. My primary goal in life is to help others establish and nurture connections to the natural world, and help mobilize actions that lead to local and global sustainability. I play and practice sustainable living in my urban-ish farmstead through gardening, chickens and pollinator meadowscaping for biodiversity.  

My scholarly and practice-based research focuses on science and engagement through Critical Exploration. As the daughter of a concentration camp survivor and the mother of an African American teen, I am committed to understanding the impact and responsibility of my white privilege, and contributing to a just and equitable education and future for ALL.

I am a senior advisor to doctoral students in Educational Studies programs, and teach Schools as Systems in the Education Leadership specialization. I teach STEAM content pedagogy courses to candidates seeking an early childhood or elementary license, as well as those seeking a middle school or high school science license. I also serve as core science education and professional development faculty with the Biogen STAR Initiative. 

I served as an Educator in Residence at Mount Auburn Cemetery through the Ecosystem Project funded by the Ruggiero Trust grant (video). Through an innovation grant, I support Make Way for Citizen Science children’s book project, where Lesley students work with science researchers and citizen science volunteers to write and illustrate children’s books focused on Mount Auburn Citizen Science. 

My other work includes ongoing support of equitable education initiatives in Ethiopia. Teacher candidates in my STEAM methods classes research write and illustrate culturally relevant science stories and lessons helping students understand how poverty and access to education impact learning. Thanks to a generous grant from Lesley University, I traveled to Ethiopia in 2016 to train Ethiopian educators and librarians as part of the Ethiopia Reads Book Centered Learning Committee. Through a partnership with WEEMA, the science stories written and illustrated by Lesley students are translated into three languages and distributed through WEEMA and Ethiopia Reads libraries. Read more about this project. 

I have been the program director for Science in Education, co-director of Elementary Education, and the director of the Urban Teacher Center.  An avid gardener and environmental sustainability activist, I helped Lesley students establish an organic garden, and teach the Science and Ethics of Food and Farming. I have organized a number of public science events including Restoring Urban Environments, the Climate Café, and STEAM Exploration Party as part of the Cambridge Science Festival.   

I also consult with schools to integrate nature-based education into the curriculum and schoolgrounds, providing professional development, curriculum design and strategic planning. 

As Associate Director for Academic Advising and Student Services in the Coordinated Student Success department, Maude provides academic advisement to Graduate School of Education elementary, ESL and bilingual, and reading specialist students. She serves as liaison between students and university support offices, including the Registrar, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts. In collaboration with the department chair, program directors, and faculty, Maude supports student retention through tracking of academic enrollment, academic progress, and timely completion of program requirements.

Prior to joining Lesley University, Maude worked at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, in the areas of academic advising and administrative services for over 20 years within different schools/departments including the President’s Office, the School of Law, and the Graduate School of Business Administration. Maude’s passion for seeing others succeed extends to her volunteer work with high school students in youth ministry at her local church, encouraging social, spiritual, and academic development through coordination and delivery of presentations and workshops during the school year, and at annual retreat and conferences during summer vacation. She serves on her church Scholarship committee responsible for reviewing high school graduates application for financial award and annual recognition for academic success and pursuit of higher education.

Maude is a member of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).

Education:  Northeastern University, Boston MA; BA, Sociology/Anthropology; M.Ed., Higher Education Administration with concentration in College Student Development and Counseling  

Honors and Awards:

• Northeastern University: Sigma Epsilon Rho Honor Society
• Northeastern University:  Phi Beta Delta, Honor Society for International Students
• Tabernacle Congregation: Mother of the Year Award (2015)

Presentations

• March 2016: “An Advising Team Greater than the Sum of Its Parts”  A presentation by Lesley University Academic Advising Team at NACADA East Region Conference. March 2016, Maine MA.
• 2000-2018: “Preparing for College” Annual presentation to high school students and parents on the importance of maintaining academic progress through senior year, understanding the admissions process, financial aid award, and the different ways to save for college. Tabernacle Congregation, Youth Ministry.  September 2000-present, Boston, MA.
• 2013-2018: “Strategies for Surviving First Year of College” Annual presentation to first year college students on tips for maintaining academic success, physical, social and spiritual health on college campuses. Tabernacle Congregation, Young Adult Ministry. January 2013-2017, Boston, MA.
• 2011: “Teamwork in Rebuilding the Wall” A presentation encouraging teamwork among women while facing challenges for building, restoring, and fulfilling family, fellowship, ministerial and professional responsibilities. Tabernacle Congregation, Women Ministry conference. September 2011, Boston, MA.