Dr. Michele Myers is an Assistant Professor in Elementary Literacy Education in
the Department of Education.
As a holistic, social justice educator, Dr. Myers has a strong commitment to
ensure that ALL children received a humanizing education in which their
histories, heritages, literacies, languages, cultures, family structures, and
communities are recognized as assets for learning. She has a deep passion for
affecting change which pushes her work beyond the walls of her university into
the schools and communities in which children work, live, and learn. Dr. Myers’
work draws on the rich funds of knowledge that children have as she creates
curriculum to support each child’s literacy development.
Her research focuses on culturally sustaining pedagogy and familial networks of
support in children’s literacy development. The goal of her work is to help
educators understand the importance of immersing themselves in the lives of
children and their families and the importance of shifting their stance from
learning about families to a stance in which they learn from and with families,
children, and community members to uncover the rich resources and support
structures that exist in homes and communities.
Dr. Myers is the past-president of the Languages and Literacies for All (LLA)
organization and former executive board member for the National Council of
Teachers of English (NCTE). She is the co-author of the book
titled, Revolutionary Love: Creating a Culturally Inclusive Literacy Classroom
(2022) Scholastic. Her most recent publication is a co-authored book with Dr.
Linda Mayes titled The Educator’s Guide to Building Child & Family
Resilience (2023) Scholastic. She owns an educational consulting company, Michele Myers’ Consulting Company, LLC.
- Assistant Professor, Elementary Literacy Education
- BA, Clemson University 1994
- MA, Charleston Southern University 1999
- Ed.S., University of South Carolina 2003
- Ph.D., University of South Carolina 2013
- Clinical Associate Professor and MAT Coordinator, University of South Carolina
- Elementary School Principal, Rivelon Elementary, Orangeburg, SC
- Assistant Principal, Marshall Elementary, Orangeburg, SC
- Curriculum Coordinator, Mellichamp Elementary, Orangeburg, SC
- District Literacy Coach, South Carolina Department of Education and Orangeburg Con. Dist. 5
- Master Teacher, South Carolina Department of Education
- First Grade Teacher, Rivelon Elementary, Orangeburg, SC
- EDU 101: Global Citizenship and Social Responsibility through Education
- EDU 203L: Methods & Management Lab
- EDU 205: Developing Literacy and Communication Skills in Elementary Schools
- EDU 250L: Student Teaching: Elementary
- EDU 650L: Student Teaching: Elementary
- Books
- Myers, M., & Mayes, L., (2023). The educator’s guide to child and family resilience. Scholastic.
- Wynter-Hoyte, K., Braden, E., Myers, M., Rodriguez, S., & Thornton, N. (2022). Revolutionary love: Creating a culturally inclusive literacy classroom. Scholastic.
- Refereed Book Chapters
- Myers, M., and Pittman, A. (2023). Focus on families: Strategies for developing pre-service teachers’ capacity for effective family engagement. In Margaret Caspe & Reyna Hernandez (Eds.), Family and Community Partnerships: Promising Practices for Teachers and Teacher Educators. IAP, Inc.
- Braden, E. Myers, M., and Compton-Lilly, C. (2023). Culturally relevant, culturally sustaining, and anti-racist practices through an embedded literacy methods course. In S. Harmey, & Bobbie Kabuto (Eds.), Teaching Literacies in Diverse Contexts. UCL Press.
- Jeffries, R., McAdoo, T., & Myers, M. (2021). Educating with love in the face of illogical reasoning: A response to challenged democracy. Education in a Democracy, 12(1), 8-15.
- Myers, M. and Suber, S. (2020). Children as Informants for kidwatching profiles. In K. F. Whitmore & R. J. Meyer, R. J. (Eds.), Reclaiming literacies as meaning-making: Manifestations of values, identities, relationships, and knowledge. Routledge.
- Refereed Journal Publications
- Myers, M., Compton-Lilly, C. (2024). Changing schools, growing teachers, creating spaces for equitable learning: Toward a systemic reenvisioning of educational practices. The Urban Review, vol. 56, 393-418.
- Caspe, M., Myers, M., Hernandez, R., & Pittman, A. (2023). A national and state view of preparing educators for family and community engagement. https://scfaces.ed.sc.gov/face-journal-articles/
- Myers, M. (2021). The radicals shift because it matters: Teaching for equity and justice in PDS partnerships. School-University Partnerships, 14(3), 8-16.
- Nonrefereed Blog Posts
- Myers, M. (2024). Write What Matters Most. EducationWeek.
- Myers, M. (2024). 7 Expert tips to help students experiencing strong emotions.
- Myers, M. (2024). Building resilience – a Q&A with Dr. Michele Myers. Mental Health Resources for Students, Families, and Educators. Scholastic.
- Myers, M. and Mayes, L. (2024). Classroom mindfulness: Exercises and prompts for teachers and students.
- Myers, M. (2023). 7 Things to do before reading (and any other) homework.
- Myers, M. (2023). Kids get the most out of school if they strengthen this key relationship, experts say: They need to feel ‘seen, heard and valued’.
- Mayes, L., and Myers, M. (2023) Reading as a remedy: One of the best ways to build resilience in students.
- Mayes, L., and Myers, M. (2023). Teaching the five resilience capacities.
- Myers, M. (2023). Beyond Black History Month: How to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans in the classroom everyday.
- Myers, M., Martin, C., Braden, E. (2024, June). Writing and equity in the mathematics classroom. NCTE/NCTM 2024 Joint Conference. New Orleans, LA.
- Myers, M., Wynter-Hoyte, K., Rodriguez, S., Braden, E., Thornton, N., and Alexander, A., (2024, March). 10 Tips for liberating your literacy instruction: Culturally responsive instruction series. Scholastic Webinar. http://teacher.scholastic.com/education/webinars.htm?webinar=c83d509bab9747bd802b040a6d324748
- Myers, M. (2024, February). Cultivating resilience in our literacy classrooms. South Carolina Council of Teachers of English 2024 Annual Conference (SCCTE). Kiawah Island, SC.
- Myers, M. (2024, February). Revolutionary love in action. (Invited Session). South Carolina Council of Teachers of English 2024 Annual Conference (SCCTE). Kiawah Island, SC.
- Myers, M. (2023, November). The educator’s guide to building child and family resilience. (Keynote). The Council of Administrators of Compensatory Education Leadership Conference, Chatham, MA.
- Boutte, G., Braden, E., Bryan, N., Myers, M., Rodriquez, S., Thornton, T., & Wynter-Hoyte, K. (2023, November). A renaissance of revolutionary love in teaching and learning. National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference. Columbia, OH.
- Ascenzi-Moreno, L., Braden, E., Espinosa, C., Myers, M., Rodriguez, S., Thornton, N., & Wynter-Hoyte, K. (2023, November). Revolutionary love and rooted in strength: honoring children’s culture and languages. National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference. Columbus, OH.
- Black. A., Mitchell, J., & Myers, M. (2023, November). Avoiding our own peril: Advocating for Toni Morrison’s Beloved in the classroom. (Round Table) in Eight %&$#?@! Great Censored Books. National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference. Columbus, OH.
- Compton Lilly, C., & Myers, M. (2023, November). Changing schools, growing teachers, creating spaces for equitable learning: Realizing the potential of PDS spaces for literacy learning. The Annual Conference of the Association of Educators and Researchers. Santa Fe, NM.
- Brown, A. Faullin, J., Parker Moore, D., Caldwell, L., & Myers, M. (2023, September). Eliminating the transportation barrier for pre-service teachers: Opportunities and challenges. North Carolina Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Raleigh, NC.
- Myers, M. (2023, August). Revolutionary love. Centering the whole child in our curriculum. RechargEd the Retreat Annual Conference, Greensboro, NC.
- Myers, M., Matthews, B., & Riley, H. (2023, July). Using kidwatching data to teach our readers. Literacies and Languages for All Summer Institute. Virtual Conference.
- Myers, M. (2023, May). Revolutionary Love: Creating a culturally inclusive literacy classroom. (Keynote), International Literacy Association Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Event, Delaware State University, DE.
- Myers, M. (2023, February). Revolutionary love: Creating a culturally inclusive literacy classroom. (Keynote), Palmetto State Literacy Association Conference, Hilton Head, SC.
- Myers, M. (2023, January). Revolutionary love: Creating a culturally inclusive literacy classroom. (Keynote), Southeastern Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Conference, Myrtle Beach, SC.
- Braden, E., Myers, M., Rodriguez, S., & Thornton, N. (2022, June). Revolutionary love: Creating a culturally inclusive literacy classroom. (Closing Keynote), NCTE 2022 Homecoming, Louisville, KT.
- Myers, M. (2022, June). Revolutionary love: Creating a culturally inclusive literacy classroom. (Keynote), St. Louis University. St. Louis, MO.
- Wynter-Hoyte, K., Braden, E., Myers, M., Rodriguez, S., & Thornton, N. (2022, June). Revolutionary love: Creating a culturally inclusive literacy classroom. Book Love Foundation. Virtual Conference.
- Myers, M. & Compton Lilly, C. (2022, November). Changing schools, growing teachers, creating spaces for equitable learning: Realizing the potential of PDS spaces. National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference. Anaheim, CA.
- Myers, M. & Jenkins, A. (2022, November). Culturally relevant pedagogy with young learners: Revolutionary love in action. Anaheim, CA.
- Myers, M. & Compton Lilly, C. (2022, November). Changing Schools, Growing Teachers, Creating Spaces for Equitable Learning: The Systemic Potential of Professional Development Schools. International Conference on Urban Education, Cancun, Mexico.
- Caspe, M., James, W., Myers, M., and Ritblatt, S. (2021, February). Preparing Educators for Equitable Family, School, and Community Engagement. AACTE 73 rd Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
- Myers, M. (2021, August). Promoting Equity and Justice in College Classrooms. Newberry College, Newberry, SC.
- Myers, M., Jenkins, A., Suber, S. (2021, October). Culturally Relevant Pedagogy with Young Learners: Revolutionary Love in Action. PDS SERVE Annual Conference, Western Carolina University.