Charlene O’Brien, MetLife Fellow
Charlene O’Brien is a literacy teacher in a Title 1 school in northern VA and presently teaches in a second grade class.
She graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and minor in Special Education in 1980.
Charlene is a National Board Certified Teacher.
Her article, “Academic Access in Diverse Environments”, was published by the Virginia Association for the Gifted (VAG) in May 2007. She has presented on this topic at several conferences.
She recently served on the National Zoo Teacher Advisory Committee.
Charlene is currently focused on research in how to improve literacy skills with students who are emergent English language learners.
Previous Research Includes:
Research Title: Enrichment Gateway- A resource of extracurricular activities for elementary students and families Research Year: 2008 Research Classification: Student Support/Enrichment Research Summary: Title I PreK-5 elementary schools on average, have more trouble accessing enrichment activities than schools in more affluent areas. This study looked at a Title 1 school outside Washington, D.C. with a population that is over 85% minorities, 75% who speak another language at home, a 30% mobility rate, and 60% on free or reduced lunch. Most of the sample included students with little or no experience participating in extracurricular activities. This project is compiling a list of enrichment activities students could access that are free, of nominal cost, or that offer scholarships. The research explores whether a wiki is an effective format for collecting and sharing targeted resources about enrichment activities available to elementary students and specifically useful for underserved/underrepresented populations. Impact on Student Learning: Students who participate in enrichment/extracurricular activities have more opportunity to develop background knowledge and gain educational experiences compared to students who have not participated in these programs. This participation and experience gives students an academic and social advantage in school. This website will be used as a student and family resource. We plan to supplement this resource in the future by facilitating training for students and families who would like initial support filling out forms, writing essays, and submitting applications.
