معرفی
Samantha Lazich Caesar serves as Associate Professor of Reading in the College of Education at Concordia University Chicago, where she leads master's and doctoral courses while collaborating with educators to enhance reading curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Her research centers on supporting teachers through professional development and literacy coaching, emphasizing practitioner perspectives in literacy education.
Educational background includes:
- PhD from DePaul University, Chicago, IL
- MEd from DePaul University, Chicago, IL
- BS from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
Her research spans reading education with specialized focus on early literacy instruction, teacher knowledge development, and innovative pedagogical approaches. Recent work examines disciplinary knowledge in early literacy teaching, Illinois literacy policy implementation, and music-integrated literacy strategies, reflecting strong alignment with scientifically based reading research principles.
Publications and presentations since 2018 reveal consistent advancement in reading science applications, particularly in phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, and literacy coaching frameworks. Her 2024 output demonstrates heightened engagement with statewide literacy initiatives and teacher emotional responses to reading science reforms.
Professional recognition includes serving as Doctoral Commencement Speaker at Concordia University Chicago (May 2022) and presenting at DePaul University on job-search strategies and classroom management (2015). She actively contributes to national discourse through ALER and NCTE conferences, addressing teacher preparation and literacy leadership challenges.
Dr. Lazich Caesar advises graduate students in reading education programs and leads university-school partnership initiatives focused on instructional coaching. Her collaborative work with educational networks demonstrates practical application of research, though specific grant details remain undocumented in available sources.
