Mary Simpson Poplin

Education

Ph.D. University of Texas
M.A. University of Texas

Biography

Mary Poplin, a native of Texas, began her career teaching elementary school and special education. Her early work in special education explored theoretical orientations in the field of special education. She developed the current CGU Teacher Education program from 1985-1995 increasing the candidates from 25 to 100 and the percentage of students of color from 6% to 50%. She led the revitalization of the program from 2000-2004 and was Dean of the School of Educational Studies from 2002-2004. In 1992, she completed a large yearlong study of four schools in southern California and produced a report, Voices from Inside: A Report on Schooling from Inside the Classroom that has sold over 60,000 copies.

From 2000-2004, she and John Rivera worked on rethinking education in light of the new emphasis on results, and began to merge in their work the concepts of accountability and social justice, initially applying it to teacher education. In 2006, she completed a large study of thirty-three high performing teachers in low performing schools. Her work on combining the imperatives for accountability and social justice continue to this day in her courses and in the Institute for Education in Transformation that she directs.

Also in recent years, she has begun to study and teach about the history of philosophy in the west and its impact on epistemology - how educators have approached “knowledge,” particularly as it relates to the intellectual history of the university. Her academic work also includes a focus on discerning the differences between Judeo-Christian principles and principles of other worldviews as it relates to issues such as the contemporary university, education, and justice. In 1996, Dr. Poplin worked for two months with Mother Teresa in Calcutta and has a book on the experience, Finding Calcutta, which was released in summer 2008 by InterVarsity Press.

Research Interests

Learning Theories and Pedagogies in Today's Schools and Universities
History of Western Philosophy and it's Impact on Higher Education
Teacher Education
Urban Leadership - Pedagogy, Justice, and Accountability
Judeo-Christian and Secular World Views

Teaching Interests

Urban Public Schools
Higher Education
Teacher Education
Philosophy and Worldviews
Social Justice and Accountability
Judeo-Christian Worldview

Publications

Poplin, M. (2008). Finding Calcutta: What Mother Teresa Taught Me About Meaningful Work and Service. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press.
Poplin, M. and Soto-Hinman, I. (2007). Taking Off Ideological Blindness: Lessons from the Start of a Study on Effective Teachers in High-Poverty Schools. Journal of Education, 186,3.
Poplin, M. & Rivera, J. (2005). Merging Social Justice and Accountability: Educating Highly Qualified, Responsible and Effective Teachers. Theory Into Practice, 2005, 44, 1, Winter.
Poplin, M. & Rogers, S. (2005). Recollections, Apologies and Possibilities. Learning Disability Quarterly 25, 2, Spring.
Poplin, M. (2005). A Radical Call to Service: The Five Tasks. In J. Dunaway (Ed.) Gladly learn and gladly teach: Living out one’s calling in the twenty first century academy. Mercer University Press.
Poplin, M. & Cousin, P., Eds. (1996). Alternative Views of Learning Disabilities: Issues for the 21st Century. Austin: Pro-Ed.
Rivera, J. & Poplin, M. (1995). Multicultural, Critical, Feminine and Constructive Pedagogies Seen Through the Lives of Youth: Toward a Pedagogy for the Next Century. Chapter in book by C. Sleeter and P. McLaren. Multicultural Education, Critical Pedagogy, and the Politics of Difference. New York: SUNY.
Poplin, M.& Weeres, J. (1992). Voices from the Inside. The Institute for Education in Transformation. 60,000 copies.
Poplin, M. (1988). The Reductionistic Fallacy in Learning Disabilities: Replicating the Past by Reducing the Present. The Journal of Learning Disabilities.
Poplin, M. (1988). Holistic Constructivist Principles of the Teaching/Learning Process: Implications for the Field of Learning Disabilities. (1998). The Journal of Learning Disabilities.