Professionally, I taught kindergarten and first grade for 15 ½ years; I was School Improvement Specialist for Choctaw County schools in Alabama; and I taught at Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus for 2 ½ years. I’ve been teaching adjunct and online for UWA since 2006, and I’ve been full-time faculty at UWA since fall 07. My current title is Reading Specialist. Prior to this, I was the Director of Assessment and Evaluation and NCATE Coordinator.  I have Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Educational Specialist degrees in Elementary Education, a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, and I’m National Board Certified in Early Childhood.

Children’s Literature is my favorite aspect of teaching. I love to use children’s books to teach EVERYTHING! As a classroom teacher, I read no less than 20 books to my children every single day. They loved it, and they learned so much more than anyone thought possible. I firmly believe that every student, no matter the age/grade, should be read to daily. In order to enhance my classroom library, I wrote many grants. (Don’t think you can’t do that… You can!)

• Mississippi State University; Curriculum and Instruction; 2006; Ph.D.
• Mississippi State University; Elementary Education; 2002; Ed.S.
• National Board Certified Teacher, Early Childhood Generalist, 2001; NBCT
• Mississippi State University; Elementary Education; 2000; M.S.
• Mississippi State University; Elementary Education; 1989; B.S.

EE301, EE304, EE500, EE503, EE504, EE506, EE526, EE621

• SACS Leadership Team/Chair Online Programs Committee
•  Advising Committee (Chair)
•  Dispositions Committee
•  Rubrics Committee
•  Julia Tutwiler Educator of the Year Committee
•  Graduate Council
•  ADA Compliance Committee
•  Freshman Studies Committee (Chair)
•  The University Council on Teacher Education
•  Instructional Leadership Advisory Council
•  LiveText Committee
•  Curriculum Lab Advisory Committee
•  Reading Specialist for UWA Elementary Education Department
•  Mentor for New Faculty

Reading Specialist, College of Education, The University of West Alabama, 2009 to Present
Director of Assessment & Evaluation, The University of West Alabama’s College of Education; January 2010 to June 2011
NCATE Coordinator, The University of West Alabama’s College of Education; August 2008 to June 2011
Assistant Professor, The University of West Alabama; 2007 to present
School Improvement Specialist, Choctaw County Board of Education; 2007
Early Childhood Educator, Choctaw County Board of Education; 2006
Lecturer, Department of Education, Mississippi State University, Meridian Campus; June 2004 to 2006
Early Childhood Educator, Choctaw County Board of Education; 1989-2004
Participated in the UWA Leadership Development Program

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Learning, Effective Teachers, PRAXIS II, Wellness, and Literacy

• Harwell, D. & Harper, S. (2011). Mathematics Instruction Through Children’s Literature.. Submitted to Academic Leadership The Online Journal. August 2011.

• Harwell, D., Daniel, M. & Tanner, E. (2011). The Virtual Classroom: Preparing Students for the 21st Century Job Market. Submitted to PA Times August 2011.
  Harwell, D., Daniel, M. & Green-Burns, B. (2010). Hurricane Katrina: Teaching   Traumatized Children.  ICERI 2010 Publications September 2010.
• Harwell, D. & Daniel, M.  (2010). Preschool teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy in terms of meeting the needs of students following a critical incident(The example of Hurricane Katrina). E-international Journal of Educational Research, 1(1), 77-87.
• Harwell, D, & Harper, Sallie. (2010). Effective ways to teach mathematics. Academic Leadership The Online Journal, 8(3), 1-3.
• Harwell, D. & Moore, J. (2010) Issues of concern related to practicum experiences in undergraduate education programs. Academic Leadership The Online Journal, 8(2), 1-10.
  

• “Bullies & Bullseyes:  How to Identify a Bully Before They Hit Their Target, and What to Do if They’ve Already Struck”.  Harwell, D., Green-Burns, W.B., & Daniel, M. 45th Annual Alabama Counseling Association Conference. November 17, 2011.

• “ Sing it, Dance it, Sound it Out, Read it, Love it: What Every Parent Should Know About Early Childhood Literacy”. National Association for the Education of Young Children, November 2-5, 2011. 

• “SPRINT! Early Childhood Literacy: Sparking Positive Relationships & Inviting Nurturing Talks Between the School & Home”.  Harwell, D. & Daniel, M. Mississippi Early Childhood Conference. October 13, 2011.

• “Data Blues to Assessment Jazz”. Harwell, D., Hohn, E., Miller, J. & Knight, D. 11th Annual Texas A & M Assessment Conference. February 21, 2011.

• “Bibliotherapy Revisited: A Traditional Model vs. An Imagery-Based Model” Harwell, D., Green-Burns, W.B., & Daniel, M. 44th Annual Alabama Counseling Association Conference. November 19, 2010.

• “Hurricane Katrina: Teaching Traumatized Children”. Harwell, D. & Daniel, M. International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation ICERI 2010. November 15-17, 2010.

• "What do students in grades Pre-K-12 think about Teacher Effectiveness?”. Harwell, D., Miller, J., & Knight, D. Mid-South Educational Research Association. Mobile, AL, 3-5 November 2010.

• “LiveText: How We Use It at UWA”  Harwell, D. & Hohn, E. LiveText Users Meeting. October 26, 2010.

• Harwell, D., Daniel, M. & Green-Burns, W.B. 2010 NCaeyc Annual Study Conference. October 9, 2010

• “Sing, Dance, Sound It Out, Read It, & LOVE IT!”. Harwell, D. Professional Development, The University of West Alabama. September 27, 2010.

• “Well, Stressed, or Distressed? Which Are You and What Can You Do About it?” Green-Burns, B., Harwell, D. & Daniel, M. The University of West Alabama’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness. August 25, 2010. 

• “Teacher Burnout: Keeping Your Head Above Water” Green-Burns, W.B., Harwell, D. & Daniel, M. North Carolina Head Start Association 40th Annual Training Conference. March 11, 2010. 

• “Effective Faculty Involvement from Reluctant to Enthusiastic!” Harwell, D., Knight, D., & Miller, J. Texas A & M 10th Annual Assessment Conference. February 22, 2010.

• “Students as Test Creators!” Knight, D., Miller, J., & Harwell, D.  Texas A & M 10th Annual Assessment Conference. February 23, 2010.

• “Something OLD, Something NEW, Something BORROWED, Something TRUE” Miller, J., Harwell, & D., Knight. Texas A & M 10th Annual Assessment Conference. February 23, 2010.

• “Well, Stressed, or Distressed? Which Are You and What Can You Do About it?” Harwell, D., Green-Burns, B., & Daniel, M. 43rd Annual Alabama Counseling Association Conference. November 18, 2009.

• “An Evolutionary Tale: Effective Faculty Involvement: From Reluctant to Enthusiastic!” Harwell, D., Miller, J., Knight, D. & Hambright, A. Presented at the LiveText Collaboration Conference on July 13, 2009

• “Science Homework and Parental Involvement: Factors Influencing Behaviors and Attitudes.” Harwell, D., Brown, K., Caldwell, A., Frazier, W., & McGee, T. (2006).  Presented by Harwell, D. at the 86th Annual Meeting of the Alabama Academy of Science, Inc. The University of West Alabama. March 27, 2009.  

• “Undergraduate Field Experiences: Issues, Expectations, and Interactions”.  Harwell, D., Moore, J., & Walker, L. 2006 Annual Conference of the American Educational Research Association San Francisco, California. February, 2006.
  Math and Children’s Literature. Paper presented at the Mississippi Rural Education Association Conference. Harwell, D., Walker, L., Bryan, L., & Leewer, S.  Meridian, Mississippi. Invited Presentation. March, 2006

• Problem-Based Learning: An Interactive Approach. Paper presented at the Mississippi Rural Education Association Conference. Harwell, D., Walker, L., Bryan, L., & Leewer, S. Meridian, Mississippi. Invited Presentation. March, 2005.

• “Problem-based Learning: An Innovative Approach In Teacher Education” Harwell, D., Walker, L., & Bryan, L.  85th Annual Conference of The National Association of Teacher Educators (ATE). Chicago, Illinois. Refereed. February, 2005

• August 2010 Contributing author of HP Catalyst Grant PED-Tech (Practicing Educational Discourse Through Electronic Communication and Hands-On Learning)
• Service Learning Grant “Learning through Literature” implemented Fall 2010
• Spring 2010 Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Contributing Author) , National Science Foundation
• Fall 2009 Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program Excellence in Rural Alabama Schools (ERAS): Partnerships Working Together to Create the New ERA in Rural Education (Contributing Author), United States Department of Education
• Edited Office of School Readiness Grant proposal for Rebecca Campbell. Grant Funded Fall 09, Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs
• Spring 2008 Pre-Kindergarten Excellence Model Program (Contributing Author),  Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs
• Spring 2008 Assisted a Graduate student writing a grant for a classroom Promethean Board. Funded June 2008, Local Board of Education
• Fall 2007 Improving Teacher Quality, Mastery of Content (Contributing Author), State of Alabama Department of Education
• Spring 2006 Office of Save and Drug Free Schools Mentoring Programs, United States Department of Education

• Co-authored the Letter of Intent for the Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund     Teaching Fellowship for Aspiring Teachers of Color Program
• Reviewed “Effective Factors on the Shaping and Non Shaping of Learning of Middle School Students” for E-international Journal of Educational Research  published in Vol. 2, No. 2 (2011).
• Reviewed Brophy, J. & Alleman, J. Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students (2nd Edition) for Cengage Publishing July 2009
• Nominated to the Alabama Literacy Team
• Conducted workshops for “PRAXIS II Language Arts and Reading Study Session” Fall 2010 and Spring 2011

Organizational Memberships:
   International Reading Association
   National Association for the Education of Young Children
   Southern Early Childhood Association
   Mississippi Early Childhood Association
   Alabama Counseling Association
   Alabama School Counselor Association
   Mid-South Educational Research Association
   Alabama Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
   Alpha Delta Kappa