Roger Bass teaches courses in special education, psychological measurement and assessment, and general education. He has been actively involved in education and psychology for more than 30 years. His interests include behavior analysis (especially as it is applied to education), psychotherapy, and human behavior in general.

Since 1990, Mr. Bass has been active in the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA) and has sponsored a number of student presenters. He has served on BALANCE, an ABA committee committed to identifying and correcting the large number of misrepresentations of behavior analysis, and TBA (Teaching Behavior Analysis), another ABA committee that coordinated recent research on teaching behavior analysis in all areas. In addition to these committees, Mr. Bass has served on ABA's committee for evaluating psychology departments. He has also taught research methods to music educators, presented at Suzuki Music Conventions, and presented at symposia with music educators interested in well-researched procedures for improving student performance. His work in education parallels these activities within psychology.

Mr. Bass emphasizes well-researched methodologies such as Direct Instruction, Personalized Systems of Instruction, and a wide range of behavioral education tactics in instructional design and classroom management, and has done computer-based studies on research methods. His current work involves developing an experimental program for training teachers on emergency licenses. In doing this, he will develop computer-assisted instruction and field-based tactics for teaching teachers on-site.

His recent publications deal with observational technology and interactive video in teacher education. Mr. Bass' current research involves the effects of changed contingencies on rule-governed behavior. Personal interests include bike touring, Zen Buddhism, and violin. He earned his B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, M.A. degree from Western Michigan University, and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He joined the Carthage faculty in 1988.

Chet Melcher serves as the Director of Student Teaching and Certification Officer for Carthage College. He has more than 30 years of experience in teaching and administration. The recipient of numerous state and national awards, he was recognized with the Excellence in Science Education Award by the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers and the Outstanding Science Leadership Award by the Wisconsin Elementary Science Teachers Association. He has served on the Board of Directors of the National Science Education Leadership Association and the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers. He was also a part of the state committee to develop the Wisconsin Model Academic Science Standards.

In a leadership capacity, Mr. Melcher served on the Board of Directors of the National Science Education Leadership Association and the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers. He was also co-chair of the Wisconsin Science Education Leadership Association.

With expertise in educational assessment he was chosen to represent Wisconsin at the Hessen/Wisconsin Assessment Seminar in Wiesbaden, Germany. Mr. Melcher is also active as an author and reviewer of numerous national textbook publishers. He earned an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Prisca Moore is actively involved in working in partnership with teachers and principals in private and public schools in Kenosha and Racine. In these professional development partnerships with Jefferson Lighthouse and Schulte Elementary Schools in the Racine Unified School District, Racine Montessori School, and St. Mary's Catholic School in Kenosha, Ms. Moore and her students develop instructional projects that incorporate instructional technology to teach science and mathematics.

She has been awarded six grants from AT T Learning Network Teaching and Technology grant program, Ameritech, the Johnson Fund with Sustainable Racine, and the Wisconsin Foundation for Independent Colleges to provide technology and training to the faculty of the partnership schools as well as to provide opportunities for Technology Fellowships for Carthage students.

Ms. Moore is particularly interested in developing collaboration projects that incorporate the use of videoconferencing and virtual field trips as well as e-mail and video exchanges. Currently, she is working with five Carthage Internships in the Racine Montessori School (RMS) and Carthage College Partnership to Beautify and Enhance our Neighborhood Community: A Partnership for Teacher Professional Development through Community Project. This project was funded by the SC Johnson Fund Community Involvement Award for Neighborhood Sustainability.

Her current focus is developing a collaborative partnership between the Kenosha and Racine schools and two primary schools in Australia. She also received two grants for the 2004-2005 school year from the Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network and Sustainable Racine to support the Outdoor Classroom that she has created with the Racine Montessori School and to support our investigations of the Root River watershed.

She is actively involved in presenting at local, regional, national, and international conferences, including the Governor of Wisconsin's Educational Technology Conference (GWETC), National Science Teachers Association Eastern Area Conference, National Science Teachers Association national convention, annual National Council for Teachers of Mathematics conference, and the Seventh International Literacy and Education Research Network Conference on Learning at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. Ms. Moore earned her B.S. and B.A. from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, M.A. from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, and Ph.D. in special education and technology from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She came to Carthage in 1996.

Dennis D. Munk teaches undergraduate courses in classroom management, educational psychology, and instructional methods for special education, as well as graduate courses in research methods. He has conducted research in the areas of functional assessment, grading practices, reading instruction, and inclusive practices, and has served as co-investigator on research projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Munk has published numerous articles and book chapters, and serves as a reviewer for two leading special education journals. He has published a book on grading practices for learners with special needs, and is completing a new text on leadership in inclusive schools. Dr. Munk holds a B.S. in psychology from Grand Valley State University, an M.A. in clinical psychology from Western Michigan University, and an Ed. D. in special education from Northern Illinois University.

Denise Rattigan has been an adjunct instructor since 1994 in the Education Department. For more than 26 years, she has dedicated her life to educating others, from children to parents to teachers. Presently, Ms. Rattigan is a special education teacher in a public school district. She also owns and manages an educational consulting business, Prestigious Educational Group.

Ms. Rattigan has designed many courses and workshops on subjects such as Conflict Resolution, Attention Deficit Disorder, Inclusion, and Cooperative Classrooms. She has written six handbooks: Teaching Reading to the LD Child; Conflict Resolution; Dealing with the ADD/ADHD Child; Inclusion-Making Alphabet Soup; Literacy Learning Stations for the Struggling Reader; and a compilation of cooperative classroom lesson plans. As an international speaker, she has presented at various conferences and workshops.

Ms. Rattigan is working on her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at George Williams College — Aurora University. She received her Master’s degree in Education from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and a Bachelor’s Degree in special education from Illinois University-Carbondale.

Dr. Patricia Rieman earned a B.S. in Education from the University of Tulsa in 1982, and then spent more than 15 years as a special education teacher in Oklahoma and Illinois. She earned an M.S. in Education with a focus on students with social/emotional disorders and learning disabilities in 1995 and an Ed.D. in Literacy Education in 2007, both from Northern Illinois University. From 1999 to 2008, she was an adjunct instructor and clinical supervisor in NIU's Departments of Literacy Education and Teaching and Learning. She was also an adjunct professor of education at Rockford College from 2007-2008. Patricia has enjoyed working with McGraw-Hill's Higher Education Division on a number of projects; in particular, she is proud that her book on teaching portfolios was published in a second edition. Patricia lives in DeKalb, Ill., and Paddock Lake, Wis., with her husband, three cats, one dog, and three hermit crabs.

Judith Schaumberg is an authority on reading in the middle school and reading comprehension instruction. Ms. Schaumberg is a member of the editorial board for the Wisconsin State Reading Association Journal and editor of Update, the WSRA newsletter. In addition, she serves on the Executive Board of the Wisconsin State Reading Association. She has made presentations at local, state, national, and international conferences on middle school reading programs, reading comprehension strategies, the reading and writing connection, study skills, and adolescent literature. Her articles on these same topics have been published in The Journal of Reading, Connecticut Journal of English, and Wisconsin State Reading Journal. She teaches courses in reading and language arts. Ms. Schaumberg earned her B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, M.A. degree from Cardinal Stritch College, and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She came to Carthage in 1990.

Karin Sconzert earned a B.A. in history from Lawrence University in 1987, then taught at private schools in Hammond, Ind. and Princeton, N.J. and the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools before serving as a qualitative researcher for the Consortium on Chicago School Research from 1994 to 2002. During this time she earned a Ph.D. in education from the University of Chicago in 2001. She was an assistant professor of education at Loyola University Chicago and at Ursinus College before she came to Carthage in 2007.

Barbara Short earned her B.A. from Augustana (Ill.) College, and her M.S. and Ed.D. from Illinois State University. Prior to coming to Carthage in 2004, she spent one year as an assistant clinical professor of education at Loyola University Chicago and 15 years as an elementary teacher in Illinois. She co-wrote the article "Moments in Constructivism: How does accepting failures allow us to examine our teaching?", which was published in Chemistry Educator (Vol.6 No.5, 2001). She currently is preparing three articles for publication, developed from her dissertation, "How Do Beliefs and Other Factors such as Prior Experiences Influence Decision-making of First-year Teachers?", and intends to continue to perform research in science education and constructivist pedagogy; teacher development and transition into career; first-year teachers; and the effect of teacher belief systems on their pedagogical practices. Ms. Short has given 20 individual and group presentations and workshops on pedagogy throughout Illinois since the early 1990s.

John Stewig joined Carthage in 2004. Mr. Stewig comes to being a college staff member with a background of teaching kindergarten through sixth grade in Monona, Wisconsin. While a professor, he gave speeches and workshops at conventions of 19 different professional associations including the International Reading Association, the Association for Childhood Education International, the Popular Culture Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Children's Theatre Association, among others. His work with the National Council of Teachers of English and the Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English included being president of both groups. Part of his work with the American Library Association involved him serving on and later being chair of the Caldecott Committee. In addition, he has given speeches and workshops in 26 different states. His publications included articles in 48 different magazines. His published works include 14 books for teachers and librarians as well at 11 books for children.

Marilyn Ward grew up in a big white and red house on the Lake Michigan shoreline, reading Cinderella, Dr. Seuss, Heidi, Eloise, Alice in Wonderland, and books about ballet. Today, she teaches about those books and many more, two miles south of that house on Lake Michigan, at Carthage College.

Dr. Ward joined the Carthage Education Faculty in 1990, where she teaches courses in Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Creative Arts, Social Studies Methods, Poetry Theatre, Gifted and Talented Education, and dance. She coordinates Carthage’s annual Seuss-a-thon, a reading fundraiser and celebration of Dr. Seuss. She also directs Poetkids Theatre at the Prairie School and Jerstad Elementary School in Racine.

Dr. Ward earned B.A.s in theatre, social studies and education from the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, an M.A. in children’s theatre from Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (Children’s Literature and Gifted and Talented Education) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

She has published books and articles on multicultural literature, children’s and young adult fiction on disabilities and differences, social studies trade books, and the integration of children’s books and theatre into the science curriculum.

In 2009, Dr. Ward received both the State Student Wisconsin Education Association and the National Student NEA Outstanding Chapter Advisor Awards.

When she is not traveling all over the world visiting schools, libraries, theatres, museums, bookstores, and conferences, she is at home one mile east of Lake Michigan, surrounded by wagon-loads of books.

Thomas Wolff, visiting associate professor of education, brings to Carthage more than 38 years of diverse experience in teaching, educational leadership, music performance and therapy, geriatrics, business, sociology and psychology. He has performed on trumpet with the Henry Mancini Show, the Johnny Mathis Show, Holiday on Ice, the New York City Ballet Road Company, the Charleston, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and served for twenty-four years as an exemplary judge for the Wisconsin School Music Association, officiating throughout Wisconsin as clinician and adjudicator for district and state school music festivals. In addition to formerly holding three church choir directorships, he also held the position of music director of the Kiwanis Youth Symphony Orchestra of Racine, headlining with that orchestra at three international Kiwanis Conventions in Minneapolis, Toronto, and Orlando, with additional performances at Disney World, Florida.

Accompanying his music endeavors, Mr. Wolff also held teaching positions in the Ashland, Kentucky Public Schools, South Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Gateway Technical College, Alverno College, Milwaukee, Northeastern Illinois University-Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and Carthage College. Holding department and division chairmanships, along with building leadership positions in public schools, he also taught graduate and undergraduate courses in music, sociology, history, education, and psychology at the above-named colleges and universities. Upon retirement from the South Milwaukee Public Schools, Wolff joined the Carthage faculty in 2006 as a member of the Education Department, where his principle responsibilities include teaching courses in educational psychology, advising students, and making supervisory visitations for student teachers in the public schools.

He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in psychology and behavioral science at California Coast University, and holds an M.S. degree in Educational Psychology and a B.S. degree in music and music education, both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Additional graduate studies were done at Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has earned the Consortium for School Assessment and Design Award through the Milwaukee Area Suburban Public Schools, the Collegial Award for in-Service Presentations and Staff Leadership through the South Milwaukee Public Schools, the National Arion Award for Music Leadership in the Community from the Lion's Club, the Brass Bell Award for Youth Leadership and Community Service Award, both from the Kiwanis International, the University Honors Award for Education Thesis Mentoring at Northeastern Illinois University, and the Bishop’s Award for composing and performing an original work entitled, "Seven Choral Acts of Worship," for the United Methodist Church District of Southeastern Wisconsin. Wolff is also a member of Division 15 (Educational Psychology) of the American Psychological Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the National Music Honorary Fraternity. His current research interests include Application of Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences in a Model Middle School Music Education Curriculum, Motivation and Attribution Theory Issues Among Reluctant Learners, The Socio-Psychological Effects of Popular Music in Adolescent Development, Cognitive Processing Differences Among Gifted and Talented Populations, and Pre-Frontal Cerebral Immaturity in Adolescents and Its Relationship to Risk-Taking Behaviors. His topical presentations to school district faculties have included "Oppositional Defiant Disorders in School Children," "Attribution Theory and Explanatory Styles in Success and Failure Situations," and "Applications of Emotional Intelligence in Adolescent Peer Relations"

Paul Zavada earned his B.S., M.S.Ed., M.S. T. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. Paul has an extensive background in education. Paul comes to Carthage after serving 14 years as a superintendent of schools and 20 years teaching in public and private schools. He teaches education and educational administration courses. His research interests are teacher induction and teacher career stages. He joined Carthage in 2005.