Michael Beiersdorf Author

Ivannia Soto, PhD , is a professor of education and the director of graduate programs at Whittier College, where she specializes in language acquisition, systemic reform for English language learners (ELLs), and urban education. She began her career in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where she taught English and English language development to a population of 99.9% Latinos, who either were or had been multilingual learners. Before becoming a professor, Soto also served LAUSD as a literacy coach as well as district office and county office administrator. She has presented on literacy and language topics at various conferences, including the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), the California Association for Bilingual Association (CABE), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the National Council of Urban Education Associations. As a consultant, Soto has worked with Stanford University’s School Redesign Network (SRN), WestEd, and CABE, as well as a variety of districts and county offices in California, providing technical assistance for systemic reform for ELLs and Title III. Recently, Soto also directed a CABE bilingual teacher and administrator program across California. Soto has authored and coauthored 12 books, including The Literacy Gaps: Bridge-Building Strategies for English Language Learners and Standard English Learners; ELL Shadowing as a Catalyst for Change, a best seller that was recognized by Education Trust–West as a promising practice for ELLs in 2018; Moving From Spoken to Written Language With ELLs; the Academic English Mastery four-book series; the Common Core Companion four-book series for English language development; Breaking Down the Wall; and Responsive Schooling for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Together, the books tell a story of how to equitably engage and include multilingual learners by ensuring that they gain voice and an academic identity in the classroom setting. Soto is executive director of the Institute for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching (ICLRT) at Whittier College, whose mission it is to promote relevant research and develop academic resources for ELLs and Standard English learners (SELs) via linguistically and culturally responsive teaching practices/ Theodore Ruiz Sagun, EdD, is a faculty advisor in the Teacher Education Program (TEP) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In this role, he works and supports mathematics and science teachers who are new to teaching. Sagun is also the director of mathematics instruction and learning at UCLA’s Community Programs Office where he works alongside middle school and high school mathematics teachers to surface and recognize students’ strengths. While in this position, Sagun has also served as a co-investigator of a Carnegie research project focused on the teaching and learning of mathematics. Prior to these experiences, Sagun served as an associate director of the UCLA Mathematics Project (UCLAMP). In this role, he became curious and interested in students’ mathematical thinking and ideas related to Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI). Sagun has facilitated professional development spanning elementary to secondary mathematics for the UCLAMP. In other roles, Sagun has worked with NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education to contribute to its Essential Actions Series. In this effort, he helped to write Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education for NCSM (2022). Sagun also served on the California Mathematics Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee in 2012 and 2020. He has presented at an array of conferences including the International Psychology of Mathematics Education, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), CGI, and California Mathematics Council North, South, and Central. Sagun has served as an adjunct professor at Whittier College and began his mathematics teaching career working with middle school and high school students in Whittier, California. Michael Beiersdorf is a National Board Certified equity-driven educator who believes passionately in the power of education to transform students’ lives. He currently serves as the administrative coordinator for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Micro-Credentialing Program, where he is honored to play a role in supporting the growth and development of highly effective educators. In this role, he was responsible for developing and launching the LAUSD’s inaugural micro-credential in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) during the 2018–2019 school year. The micro-credentialing process allows educators to cultivate expertise in identified areas, use data and reflection for improvement, and be recognized for their accomplishments in driving student learning. In addition to his micro-credential work in STEAM, Beiersdorf has collaborated with partners inside and outside his district to develop and launch additional micro-credentials in various subject areas, all ultimately grounded in language and literacy with an equity lens. Before leading the work of micro-credentialing within LAUSD’s Human Resources Division, Beiersdorf served as a district science and STEAM content expert, where he designed and delivered professional learning for teachers and administrators that supported their implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and STEAM instruction. Beiersdorf’s professional development expertise extends beyond science and STEAM, and he has led initiatives in various disciplines to build the capacity of all adults who interact with students. Audiences have included new and experienced teachers and administrators, paraprofessionals, and classified staff in both in-person and virtual settings. As his district pivoted to distance learning at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he led its Future Ready Certification, which was a collaborative effort to prepare approximately 14,000 educators to serve their students and families online. His work as a science and human resources administrator was preceded by 17 years as a science teacher for multilingual middle school students in Los Angeles and high school students in Tanzania, East Africa, where he served as a Peace Corps Education Volunteer. During his time teaching, in addition to earning his National Board Certification in early adolescence science, Beiersdorf was honored to be selected as one of his district’s Teachers of the Year. He is currently in the process of completing the dissertation for his doctorate in education at California State University, Northridge, with a focus on science teacher professional development.