Bonnie Armbruster, PhD
Title: Professor
Department: Curriculum and Institution
College: Education
Interview
What classes do you teach?
- CI 260 – Serving Children in Schools and Communities
- CI 475/476 – Teaching Elementary Reading and Language Arts I & II
- CI 582 – Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum
- CI 585 – Informational Children's Literature
- Two Dicovery classes
What do you enjoy most about teaching at Illinois?
Interacting with students, creativity, the challenge of teaching well, and learning new things
Do you have a unique teaching method or project you assign?
Probably the community engagement component of CI 260 is the most unique of my teaching methods. Students learn to do by doing (in this case, learn to teach by interacting with and teaching students) and by serving the community.
Describe your greatest professional accomplishment.
Perhaps some publications that have made an educational difference, but mostly I hope I have made an impact on some students and on the local community.
What sparked your interest in your field of study?
The opportunity to be part of the federally funded Center for the Study of Reading here at Illinois - first as a graduate student and later as a Senior Scientist.
What's your favorite aspect of life at Illinois?
Wonderful resources, great students, a terrific library, Krannert Center - it's a very stimulating and exciting environment.
What book, related to your field, do you recommend reading?
The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer
Do you have any advice for entering students?
Be open-minded! Take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities this University has to offer.