Faculty | M.S. in Special Education
Denise Reid
- Associate Professor
- PhD., Chapman University
- Multiple Subject Credential, Hope International University
- M.A., Cal State Fullerton
- B.A., Cal Poly Pomona
Denise Reid has her Ph.D. from Chapman University, an M.S. from California State University, Fullerton, and a B.A. from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Reid holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and has decades of educational experience.Here experience includes facilitating the successful transition of high school students to post-secondary settings. Additionally, she...
Research Interests
- Exploring the Lived Experiences of Individuals who Attended, Taught, or Served as Administrators at All-Black Segregated Schools during Jim Crow
- Impact of Brown v. Board on Current Educational System
- Higher Education Policy Related to the Disclosure Process of Students with Disabilities Transition to Postsecondary Education for Students from Marginalized Groups
Tim Stranske
- Professor and Faculty Emeritus
- Ph.D., Claremont Graduate University
- M.A., Biola University
- B.A., Biola University
With more than 30 years in the Christian school movement, several years as a junior high and high school teacher and 28 years as an administrator, Tim Stranske has a wealth of experience in the education field. He was a principal, curriculum director and superintendent for four California Christian school systems. In addition, Stranske served Biola as an adjunct faculty member from 1982–87 and...
Nicholas Block
- Professor
- Ph.D., Claremont Graduate University
- M.Div., Fuller Theological Seminary
- B.A., Stanford University
After beginning his career in education as a science teacher in Bogotá, Colombia in 1984, Nick Block has worked most of his years in the U.S. as a public school teacher in grades three to five in a variety of language settings. At Biola, Block has taught since 2014 in the undergraduate, graduate, and Induction/Clear Credential programs. He has mainly taught courses in philosophy of education,...
Research Interests
- Dual-language Schools
- Vocabulary Development
- Spiritual Lives of Teachers
June Hetzel
- Dean, School of Education
- Professor
- Ph.D., Claremont Graduate University
- M.A., Talbot School of Theology
- M.S., California State University, Fullerton
- B.A., Biola University
June Hetzel specializes in literacy processes, curriculum development, and spiritual formation. Hetzel has served in the roles of teacher, curriculum specialist, principal, writer, editor, consultant, and professor before becoming Dean of Biola's School of Education. She has served at school, district, and county levels, including four summer teaching overseas. Recent projects include...
Courses
- SEED 504 Advanced Curriculum and Instruction (M.A.Ed. course)
- SEED 520 Elementary Reading/Language Arts (for teachers of grades K-8)
- SEED 530 Reading Processes and Approaches (for teachers of grades K-12)
- SEED 531 Writing Processes and Approaches (for teachers of grades K-12)
- SEED 537 Elementary History-Social Studies Methods (for teachers of grades K-6)
- SEED 550 Multicultural Children’s Literature (for teachers of grades K-8)
- SEED 554 Professional Writing (M.A.Ed. course)
- SEED 571 Grant Writing, Book Proposals, and Textbooks (M.S. Curriculum, Instruction, and Publication course)
- SEED 573 Curriculum Practicum (M.S. Curriculum, Instruction, and Publication course)
- SEED 576 Textbook Writing (M.S. Curriculum, Instruction, and Publication course)
- SEED 596 Professional Development Module (M.A.Ed. course)
- SEED 599 Master’s Thesis (capstone)
- Student Teacher Supervision
- GNST 102 Freshmen Seminar
- BBST 465 Philosophy of Christian Education
- LEDU 420 Elementary Reading/Language Arts (for teachers of grades K-6)
- LEDU 337 Elementary History-Social Studies Methods (for teachers of grades K-6)
Research Interests
- Spiritual formation
- Literacy
- Reading/writing processes
- English language learners
- Curriculum and instruction
- Values education
- Home schooling
- Gifted education
- Differentiated learning
Christie Curtis
- Associate Dean, Graduate Chair, School of Education
- Associate Professor
- Ph.D., Azusa Pacific University
- M.A., Biola University
- B.A., University of California, Riverside
A native Californian, Christie Curtis specializes in grammar and writing curriculum development. Her most recent book, Grammar and Writing 3 (piloted in 2015–16), was co-authored with Mary Hake and is one of six grammar and writing textbooks in their series. Utilizing her experiences as a former public and private school teacher, she has authored student editions, teacher editions and...
Research Interests
- Supporting international students
- Spirituality practices of international students
- Supporting post-traditional students
- Writing proficiency
Robin LaBarbera
Mickie Wong-Lo
- Director of Special Education
- Associate Professor
- Ph.D., University of North Texas
- M.Ed., University of Houston
- B.S., University of Houston
Mickie Wong-Lo is an associate professor and the Director of Special Education in the School of Education at Biola University. Dr. Wong-Lo, a board certified behavior analyst, completed her doctoral studies in special education with the emphasis in emotional and behavioral disorders and juvenile delinquency at the University of North Texas. Prior to entering the field of higher education, she...
Research Interests
- Cyberbullying: Behavior analysis in digital culture, peer relationships in social media
- Juvenile Delinquency: Gang crime analysis, violence in schools
- Mental Health: Trauma, resiliency in victimization
- Disproportionality: Over and underrepresentation
- Behavior Analysis: Behavioral assessment and function-based intervention