Mary Jane McIlwain
Associate Professor, Reading Education
Program Coordinator, Reading Education
Short Bio
Dr. McIlwain in the public school system in Northern Virginia for twenty years before entering academia in 2013. Research and practice inform her perspective on the ways the lack of equity inherent in our public education system impacts the disparity in literacy achievement among diverse groups across urban, suburban, and rural contexts.
Professional Experience
Dr. McIlwain received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Auburn University in 1989. After graduating she returned to the Washington D.C. area to work in the Alexandria City Public Schools system. She worked in first and fourth grade classrooms until her experience and drive led her to George Mason University, where she earned an M.Ed. in Reading in 1997.
She continued working in Alexandria as a Title I reading teacher and a Reading Recovery Teacher. In 2000 she began working in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) as a reading specialist. Her tenure with FCPS (2000-2013) provided opportunities to be trained in Cognitive Coaching and Professional Learning Communities.
She earned her National Board Certification in Middle Childhood Reading Education in 2004. While still working, she returned to George Mason to earn a Ph.D. in Literacy in 2005. Dr. McIlwain began working with faculty at Auburn University in 2013.
Engagement
Dr. McIlwain's outreach vision is centered on, Literacy & Equity in the Community from the Classroom to Scholarship & Back. It refers to the power yet untapped in communities, a power that has potential to leverage the equity that leads to increased literacy achievement.
She and her colleagues work with Loachapoka schools to develop shared perspectives on reading and writing development PK-12. It is their firm belief that a context-specific, bidirectional relationship between academic research and applied research will inform theoretical models capturing language and literacy in ways more apt to positively impact ALL communities.
The relationship with Loachapoka is at the core of their teaching, research, and outreach; and it represents the impact of a professional development school (PDS) partnership on children and families, teachers, teacher candidates, and faculty. Dr. McIlwain is actively engaged with the National Association for Professional Development Schools, a network of universities and colleges that partner with local schools and school districts to create a cohesive and connected system.
The success of a PDS partnership is dependent on the relationship between the school and university. This is the cornerstone of the Loachapoka-Auburn University PDS partnership. The strength of their growing relationship breaks down the walls that traditionally keep professional practice in schools separate from university work in teacher preparation and research.
Additionally, it is their relationship with the school and its community that broadens their collective understanding of how the strengths of families and neighborhoods positively impact reading and writing at all levels. To this end, Dr. McIlwain and her team work within schools and communities, walking with children and families, knowing that together we can build a future where literacy becomes the bridge to empowerment and self-fulfillment.
The website, Literacy & Equity in the Community from the Classroom to Scholarship & Back, is comprised of multiple pages that detail various aspects of our work.
