Beverly Falk is Professor and Director of the Graduate Programs in Early Childhood Education at The School of Education, The City College of New York. Prior to her work at City College, she served in a variety of other educational roles: She has been a classroom teacher, school founder and director, district administrator, consultant to schools, districts, states, and national organizations, and the Co-Associate Director of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools and Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University. In 2005-2007, she was a Fellow of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. During that time she developed multi-media websites that document teaching and learning: http://www.cfkeep.org/html/stitch.php?s=76160188183338&id=52796060827371

Currently, she is Editor of The New Educator, a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal that she founded and that is published by The City College of New York's School of Education. She is also the founding Director of CCNY's Center for Teaching the Way Children Learn, a professional development and research initiative focused on supporting educators to teach through active learning.  Recently, Dr. Falk helped to launch the New York City Early Learning Consortium, a collaboration between various organizations that seeks to raise awareness about the central role of play and active learning in the education of young children.

Interests and areas of expertise
Dr. Falk’s work is focused on putting into practice what is known about how people learn, especially as this pertains to diverse learners in urban public schools.  She is particularly interested in education in the early years, as the impact of early experiences shape so much of children’s subsequent development.  Her work also centers on supporting teachers and schools to utilize multiple pathways for active learning and performance-based assessment.

Dr. Falk’s areas of expertise include early childhood education, early literacy, performance assessment, school change, teacher education, and teacher research. She is the author/co-author/editor of over 100 publications and books, most recently Teaching the Way Children Learn (Teachers College Press, 2009). Other publications are listed below. 

DEGREES:

PRINCIPAL PUBLICATIONS:

Falk, B. (Ed.)  (forthcoming in 2010).  In defense of childhood.  New York:  Teachers College Press. 

Falk, B. & Blumenreich, M.  (forthcoming in 2010). Inside urban teaching:  Teacher research on classrooms and schools.  New York:  The New Press. 

Falk, B.   (2009).   Teaching the Way Children Learn: Re-visioning Schooling to Support Diverse Learners .   New York:   Teachers College Press.  

Falk B. & Blumenreich, M.   (2005). The Power of Questions: A Guide to Teacher and Student Research .   Portsmouth, N.H.:   Heinemann Press.

Falk, B.   (2000).   The Heart of the Matter: Using Standards and Assessments to Learn .   Portsmouth, N.H.:   Heinemann Press.

Calkins, L., Santman, D., Montgomery, K., with Falk, B.   (1998).   A Teacher's Guide to Standardized Testing: Knowledge is Power .   Portsmouth, N.H.:   Heinemann Press.

Darling-Hammond, L., Ancess, J., & Falk, B.   (1995).   Authentic Assessment in Action .   New York:   Teachers College Press.

Edited volumes

Falk, B. (Ed.) (2008).  The New Educator, Volume 4, Issues 1-4.  Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis.

Falk, B. (Ed.) (2006). The New Educator, Volume 2, Issues 1-4 .   Philadelphia:   Taylor and Francis.

Falk, B. (Ed.)   (2005).   The New Educator, Volume 1, Issues 1-4 .   Philadelphia:   Taylor and Francis.

Falk, B.   (Ed.).   (1994).   The Educational Forum, 59 (1).   West Lafayette, IN:   Kappa Delta Pi Publications.

Refereed articles

Falk, B. & Darling-Hammond, L.  (forthcoming in 2009).  Documentation and democracy.  Theory into Practice.

Falk, B.   (2007).   Keeping the focus on the child:   Supporting and reporting on teaching and learning with a classroom-based assessment system.   Educational Assessment, 12 (1), 47-74.

Blumenreich, M. & Falk, B.   (2006). Trying on a new pair of shoes:  Urban teacher-learners conduct research and construct knowledge in their own classrooms.  Teaching and Teacher Education , 22 (7), 864-873.

Falk, B.   (January 12, 2006).   Morning meeting.   ASCD Express, 1 (7) ,

Falk, B. & Margolin, L. (2005).   Awakening the questions within:   Inquiry research in an elementary classroom .   Thinking Classrooms. 6 (2), 6-14.

Falk, B.   (2004).   A passion for inquiry in an era of 'right answers':   Inquiring about teachers inquiring about their practice.   Teacher Education Quarterly, 31 (4), 73-84.

Falk, B.    (2002).   Standards-based reforms:   Problems and possibilities.   Phi Delta Kappan . 83 (8 ), 612-620.  

Falk, B.   (1998).   "Testing the way children learn:   Principles for valid literacy assessments." Language Arts, 76( 1), 57-66.

Falk, B. & Ort, S.   (1998).   "Sitting down to score:   Teacher learning through assessment."   Phi Delta Kappan, 80 (1), 59-64.

Falk, B.   (Fall, 1998).   "Using direct evidence to assess student learning." In Language Matters .   London:   Center for Language in Primary Education.

Falk, B.   (1998).   “Assessment should support teaching and learning . Education New York, 2 (1), 5.  

Darling-Hammond, L. & Falk, B.   (1997).   "Using standards and assessments to support student learning."   Phi Delta Kappan, 79 (3), 190-199.

Falk, B.   (1994).   "How assessment supports teaching and learning:   A look at the Primary Language Record,"   The Educational Forum, 59 (1), 30-38.   

Book chapters

Falk, B.  (forthcoming in 2009). Supporting the education and care of young children:  Putting into practice what we know.  In M. Fullan, A. Lieberman, A. Hargreaves, and D. Hopkins (Eds.), Second International Handbook of Educational Change.  New York: Springer.

Lieberman, A. & Falk, B.   (2006).   Leadership in learner-centered schools.   In Danzig, Borman, Jones, Wright (Eds.),   Professional Development for Learner Centered Leadership: Policy, Research, and Practice. Mahway, New Jersey:   Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.  

Falk, B.   (2003).   “Testing the way children learn:   Principles for valid literacy assessments.”   In Sharon Murphy and Curt Dudley-Marling (Eds), Literacy Learning through Language Arts .   Urbana, Illinois:   National Council of Teachers of English.   (A volume of previously published articles selected for being a “valuable contribution to the profession”)   

Falk, B.   (2001).   “Professional learning through assessment.”   In A. Lieberman and L. Miller (eds.), Teachers Caught in the Action: The Work of Professional Development .   New York:   Teachers College Press.   (Invited chapter)  

Falk, B.   (1998).   "Looking at students and their work:   Supporting diverse learners with the Primary Language Record ."   In D. Allen (ed .), Assessing Student Learning: From Grading to Understanding .   New York:   Teachers College Press.   (Invited chapter)    

Falk, B.   (1998).   "Using Direct Evidence to Assess Student Progress:   How the Primary Language Record Supports Teaching and Learning." In T. Salinger (ed.), Assessing Reading: Theory and Practice .   London:   Routledge.   (Invited chapter)  

Darling-Hammond, L. & Falk, B.   (1997).   "Policy for Authentic Assessment."   In A. Lin Goodwin, (ed.), Assessment for Equity and Inclusion: Embracing All Our Children . New York and London: Routledge. (1/2 contribution)   (Invited chapter)

Lieberman, A., Falk, B. & Wood, D.   (1996.)   "Understanding the Complexities of Educational Change."   In Sharon L. Kagan and Nancy E. Cohen (eds.), Reinventing Early Care and Education: A Vision for a Quality System .   San Francisco, Calif.:   Jossey-Bass.   (1/3 contribution) (Invited chapter)

Falk, B.   (1996).   "Teaching the Way Children Learn."   In Milbrey McLaughlin and Ida Oberman (Eds.), Teacher Learning .   New York:   Teachers College Press.   (Invited chapter)  

Lieberman, A., Falk, B., & Alexander, L.   (1994).   A Culture in the Making:   Leadership in Learner - Centered Schools.    In J. Oakes & Karen Hunter Quartz (Eds.), Creating New Educational Communities: Schools and Classrooms Where All Children Can Be Smart , the 94th NSSE Yearbook.   (Selected contribution)

Book reviews

Falk, B.   (2001).   “Lessons for Reformers:   A Review of Contradictions of School Reform: Educational Costs of Standardized Testing. Journal of Educational Change 00: 1-6.

Other articles

Falk, B.   (2006).   A conversation with Lee Shulman – Signature pedagogies for teacher education:   Defining our practices and rethinking our preparation.   The New Educator 2 (1), 73-82.

Falk, B.   (2005). Assessment in support of children’s learning:   How ongoing observation and documentation can inform instruction and curriculum development.  Journal of the National Coalition of Campus Children’s Centers, 2 (1), 2-4.

Falk, B.   (2003). Keeping your eyes on the prize:   Challenges for early childhood educators.   NYCAEYC Newsletter .  

Falk, B. & Darling-Hammond, L.   (1993).   “Building learner-centered schools.”   School Voices, 3 (1):   12, 13, 18.

Monographs and other original materials

Falk, B.  (2006).  Developing an inquiry stance toward teaching.  In Inside Teaching, a web-based collection of records of practice from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. http://www.cfkeep.org/html/stitch.php?s=76160188183338&id=52796060827371

Falk, B.   (2004).   Morning Meeting .   (Video).   Seeking distribution.  

Falk B., & Ort, S.   (2000).   Technical Report: Pilot Study of the Predictive Validity of the Early Literacy Profile .   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.

Falk, B.   (1999).   Reframing the Basics of Education: A Report on the Work of The Basic School .   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.

Falk B., & Ort, S.   (1999).   Technical Report: The Early Literacy Profile Project .   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.

Falk, B. and associates.   (1999).   The Early Literacy Profile: An Assessment Instrument.   New York:   New York State Education Department.

Falk, B. and associates.  (1999). The Early Literacy Profile: Facilitator's Guide.   New York:   New York State Education Department.  

Falk, B.   (1997). Using Standards and Assessments to Support Student Learning: Early Lessons from New York State .   (Video)   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST).

Falk, B., MacMurdy, S., & Darling-Hammond, L.   (1995).   Taking a Different Look: How the Primary Language Record Supports Teaching for Diverse Learners .   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.

Falk, B.   (1994).   The Bronx New School: Weaving Assessment into the Fabric of Teaching and Learning .   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.  

Lieberman, A., Falk, B., & Alexander, L.   (1994).   A Culture in the Making: Leadership in Learner - Centered Schools .   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.

Lieberman, A., Wood, D., & Falk, B.   (1994).   Toward Democratic Practice in Schools: Key Understandings about Educational Change .   New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.

Falk, B., & Darling-Hammond, L.   (1993).   The Primary Language Record at P.S. 261: How Assessment Transforms Teaching and Learning. New York:   National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching.

INTEREST AREAS:

* Child-centered teaching
* Teacher education and professional development
* Teacher research
* Performance assessment
* School change

COURSES TAUGHT

* 2202I: Content Research Seminar 1 (fall)
* 2900I: Content Research Seminar 2 (spring)
*1900C: Language and Literacy Development in Young Children