As a Faculty Coach, Susan works with campus-based instructional coaches and building administrators to focus on equity and rigor for students by emphasizing evidence-based core instruction, standards-based planning, teaching, learning, and assessment, thus building student agency.
Prior to joining Instructional Empowerment, Susan served as a middle school and high school ELA teacher in Texas for over twenty years, then transitioned to a position as a high school ELA instructional coach. During her teaching career, she was a PLC lead teacher, gifted and talented coordinator, high school ELA department chair, AP coordinator, district lead teacher, and AP reader for AP English Language and Composition. She served on multiple state committees tasked with creating and evaluating the Texas state assessments and also served on district committees to create vertically aligned ELA curricula in multiple districts.
Susan’s educational background as a Political Science/English major prepared her for a litigation paralegal career before receiving her alternative certification in teaching. That background enabled her to provide students with career-tested strategies and perspectives for lifelong reading, writing, speaking, and listening tasks that would prove crucial in their future endeavors.
