Holly Sandler

Holly Sandler is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Faculty Director of Elementary Education within the College of Education at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). With a 25-year career as a public elementary school teacher in New York, her work emphasized culturally responsive education to foster social equity and critical thinking among K-5 students. Since earning her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy (2020), she focuses on teacher preparation programs, integrating practical classroom experience with educational research.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Research, UCCS (2020)
• M.A., Instructional Technology, New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
• M.S., Teaching, Pace University
• B.A., Political Science, University of Florida

Research & Interests: Dr. Sandler prioritizes culturally responsive pedagogy, educator dispositions toward diverse students, and contemplative practices in education. Her dissertation explored first-year educators’ evolving perspectives on culturally responsive teaching. She advocates for social consciousness in classrooms and bridges theory-practice gaps in teacher training.

Professional Experience:

• University Lecturer (UCCS): Taught Educational Psychology and Children’s Literature
• Visiting Professor (Colorado College): Taught graduate-level Teacher and Teaching Identity
• Academic Counselor (University of Denver): Learning Effectiveness Program
• Clinical Supervisor: UCCS Teacher Residency Program
• Classroom Teacher: Woodglen Elementary School (NY), grades 1-5

Awards: None explicitly listed.

Advising/Grants: No specific grants or advisees documented here, though her role in teacher preparation likely involves mentorship.

Labs/Teams: Not mentioned in available texts.