College Level Teaching
Current Courses
Human Growth & Development for Early Childhood & Elementary Education
In this professional education course for education majors and/or licensed practitioners, students learn about developmental theories and issues relevant to their future early childhood and elementary education classrooms. Specifically, students study biological, cognitive, and social development, with application to life in the family, school, community, and broader social context!
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1) understand how children learn and develop,
2) recognize that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and
3) design and implement developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences
Teaching Publications and Resources:
- Mims, L. C. & Whitefield, B. (2020) Having Fun Isn't Hard: A Quick Fix Designed to Promote Independent Reading. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2020.1775169
- Costa, C., & Mims, L. C. (2020). Using Notecard Check-Ins to Build Relationships and Establish a Climate of Care. College Teaching https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2020.1797619
I look forward to working with you!
Invited Workshops & Presentations (Selected)
- The School to Prison Pipeline and Understanding Your Client's History (December 2019). Workshop Facilitator at the Advancing Real Change, Inc. and Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy, Inc. at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law Mitigation Training for Defense Attorneys.
- Engaging First-Year Teacher Education Students (September 2019). Panelist at Ball State University to support student retention and success.
- The Importance of Black Teachers: Recruiting, Retaining, Supporting “Dreamkeepers” (April, 2019). Panelist at the Tom Tom Founders Festival Civic Innovation Conference.
- Twitter 101 for Academics (March, 2019). Professional Development Session Presenter at the Society for Research on Child Development Biennial Meeting.
- “None of us can succeed when some of us are held back:” Addressing Barriers, Bias and Belonging. (March 2019). Workshop Facilitator at the University of Virginia Women’s Leadership Development Program.
- Meeting Black Girls on the Moon (March 2019). Keynote Speaker at the Association of Black Social Workers at Virginia Commonwealth University 4th Annual Cultural Awareness Day.
- Mitigation Investigation and the School-to-Prison Pipeline (November 2018). Workshop Co-presenter at the Virginia Bar Association 26th Annual Capital Defense Workshop.
- Let Her Learn: A Forum to Stop School Pushout (November 2018). Moderator at the Virginia State Capitol.
- Social Media Engagement as a Researcher (September 2018). Presenter at the Virginia Commonwealth University Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development.
- Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods (July 2018). Workshop Facilitator at the University of Virginia Summer Undergraduate Research Program.
- Equity in Education: Setting a Policy Agenda (July 2018). Lecturer in Public Policy on Capitol Hill at George Washington University.
- Communicating Your Science (June 2018). Panelist at the Summer Virginia Education Science Training.
- People Will Never Forget How You Made Them Feel: Building Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Learning Environments for ALL Students (April 2018). Workshop Facilitator at the Virginia Young Democrats Convention.
- Empowering Change & Leadership in Women and Youth (April 2018). Keynote Speaker at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women SHERO Event.
- ‘Cause We are Women, Phenomenally: Cultivating the NOW Generation of Leaders (March 2018). Workshop Facilitator at the University of Virginia Women’s Leadership Development Program.
- Black and Brown Girls, Why Now? The Importance of Investing in OUR Girls (February 2018). Invited keynote speaker at the Girls for a Change Community Lunch and Learn Event.
- Policy Implementation During the Obama Administration (March 2017). Lecturer in The Policy Process at American University.
- Ensuring Equity and Excellence in the Classroom: Strategies to Affirm Student Identities in the Classroom (February 2017). Keynote Speaker and Workshop Presenter at the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP Conference.
- Girls Can Do! (November 2016). Event Host at the Warner Theatre.
- Supporting African American Students through Family Engagement (October 2016). Keynote Speaker at the U.S. Department of Education.
- Understanding Socio-emotional Development for African American students (October 2016). Guest Lecturer at the DC School Counselors Association.
- Embracing Social Media to Get the Academic Results You Want (October 2016). Presenter at the U.S. Department of Education.
- African American Family Engagement (October 2016). Panelist at the Annual Parent Teacher Association Convention and Expo.
- How Can Public Schools Better Support Talented Students of Color?(September 2016). Panelist at the Center for American Progress.
- Advancing Equity for Girls and Women of Color (September 2016). Panelist at the Briefing on Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color by the White House Council on Women and Girls.
- White House Champion of Change for Extracurricular Enrichment for Marginalized Girls (September 2016). Discussant at the White House.
- Black Girls Rock the White House: Research, Policy and Practice for African American Women and Girls (August 2016). Panelist at the Black Girls Lead! Summit.
- Equity in Research, Policy, and Practice: Beyond the Buzzword (June 2016). Panelist at the National Association for the Young Child 2016 Learning at the Top of the Ticket National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development.
- Race, Equity and the Future of Public Education (June 2016). Panelist at the National School Boards Association Equity Symposium.
- Ensuring Educational Excellence for African Americans (May 2016). Keynote Speaker at the Black Brains Matter Educational Summit on the State of Black and Poor Children.
- Girls Rock Tech: The Importance of STEM for Black Women and Girls (April 2016). Panelist at BLACK GIRLS ROCK!
