Jo’s parents instilled in her the guiding principle to always be of service – para servir. Because of her background and parents’ guiding principle, she is committed to be of service to all who attend her professional learning experiences, participate in personalized coaching sessions, and seek her counsel.
Jo began her teaching career as a Bilingual Education instructional assistant. She then served as a K-12 Bilingual Education teacher, Multilingual Cross-Cultural Education Specialist, and Biliteracy Reading Instruction Specialist. In 1981, Jo’s career led her to the nationally known Newcomer School, where she worked in a multilingual setting with refugee and immigrant Emergent Biliterate Multilingual Learners. While there Jo developed her many Brain-Based Language and Literacy Strategies™. She also served as a Master Teacher for Phase 1, 2 and 3 student teachers attending California State University, Sacramento, California State University, Chico, the University of California, Davis, and National University.
Because of her curriculum development expertise, neuroscience-based language acquisition and biliteracy teaching methods, and state and federal categorical program policy knowledge, Jo was asked to teach at California State University, Sacramento in the Multilingual Multicultural Teacher Education Department. Jo taught Introduction to Bilingual Education, Principles of Curriculum, and Language and Biliteracy, and also supervised student teachers for 20 years.
Jo was asked to join the Multiple Intelligences Institute at the University of California, Riverside, as an instructor and Board member. She served in these roles for 10 years.
Jo is the founder of New Horizons In Education-EduTrainers, an education consulting company dedicated to assisting school districts and businesses to design and implement highly effective language and literacy programs for culturally and linguistically diverse learners and their families. Currently, Jo conducts workshops in Foundation-Frameworks-Tools School Improvement and Transformation Coaching©, Review-Recommendations-Results EL Program Quality Review©, ESSA implementation technical support, Biliteracy, English Language Development, and Mind-Brain-Education Science. Administrators, teachers, students, parents and policymakers throughout the world seek Jo’s counsel and insights. Her workshops are fast-moving, energetic, and focus on scores of evidence-based practical ideas and materials that participants can use immediately.
Because of her extensive experience and exceptional work with Superdiverse Multilingual Emergent Bilingual Learners, Jo has received numerous awards from organizations, including the National Hispanic School Board Association; California State University, Sacramento; California Reading Association; Capitol Association of Mexican American Educators; AEI Speakers Bureau; Bureau of Education and Research; University of California, Riverside; Multiple Intelligence Institute; TESOL; Dr. Howard Gardner, Harvard University School of Education Project Zero Multiple Intelligences; Japan Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD); National Professional Resources (NPR); California Association for Bilingual Education; Sacramento Educational Cable Company; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD); Association of California School Administrators; KCRA Sacramento NBC news television affiliate); Congressman John Garamendi; Susan Kovalik and Associates; Elk Grove Unified School District; and the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education. Jo also received recognition for her teaching excellence from President Ronald Reagan, the U.S. Department of Education, and the California Department of Education.
Jo was appointed in 2023 to the national Literacy Advisory Board to act as an advisor in gathering, listening to, and learning from diverse perspectives on issues affecting today’s students and teachers in the field of literacy, with an emphasis on the Science of Reading, cultural responsiveness, equity and inclusion.
Jo continues to serve as a policy advisor and consultant to multiple state departments of education, school districts, education associations, and businesses in several states.
Copyright ©2024, New Horizons in Education. All rights reserved.
