Education

Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Education, and English
Debora Stonich
Secondary Curriculum Coordinator

With 16 years of teaching experience, Debora Stonich truly understands what educators and students need when it comes to curriculum. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Education, and English from San Jose State University in 1976 and worked as a teacher before returning to school in 1998 to earn a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Scranton. Since then, she has worked on the administrative side of education, specializing in areas such as courseware design, curriculum development, lesson planning, classroom instruction, and teacher training. Currently, Stonich is a secondary curriculum coordinator for one of the fastest-growing public school districts in Texas.

Why did you choose to major in curriculum and instruction?

At the core of our educational system is curriculum and how you teach the curriculum. After teaching for 16 years, I realized I wanted to know how you can improve academic success through curriculum and instruction. I needed to know more about how successful curriculum is developed.

What did you like/dislike about majoring curriculum and instruction?

There wasnít anything I didnít like about majoring in curriculum and instruction. My statistics class really opened up a new world for me. I know look very differently at student achievement data.

How has your major impacted your career or influenced your career path?

I went from being a classroom teacher to a secondary curriculum coordinator for a large district.

What knowledge/skills did you obtain from majoring in curriculum and instruction that you put to use in your current position?

My degree plan required me to take assessment writing courses which has greatly impacted my ability to build successful curriculum for grade 6 through English 4 ELAR. I also took a course in curriculum development as far as alignment. This is extremely important.

What advice would you give to students thinking about majoring in curriculum and instruction?

I did graduate work in curriculum and instruction. I donít think you can fully understand the importance of viable aligned curriculum until you have taught in a classroom for a period of time. I had to learn about teaching first. It was after that, I understood there was a need to improve the curriculum and instruction to ensure students were receiving the highest level of instruction.