Vivian Gail Johnson, Ph.D.
Madame Cadillac Bldg., Rm. 211
Marygrove College
8425 W. McNichols
Detroit, MI 48221
Phone: (w) 313-927-1384
E-mail: vjohnson@marygrove.edu or vjohnson0@comcast.net
ACADEMIC DEGREES & CERTIFICATION
1999 Ph.D. Oakland University Major: Reading and Language Arts
Rochester, Michigan Minor: Children's Literature
Dissertation title: All Our Kin: A content analysis of the pictorial treatment of African American extended family members in children’s picture books published 1965-1997.
1995 M.A.T. Oakland University
Major: Reading and Language Arts
1986 MS Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia
Major: Mental Health
Master’s thesis title: Effects of enhancement program on self concepts of Black school-age children.
1975 BS Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia
Major: Sociology/Social Work
Certification
Michigan Secondary Education Certification 1995 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Sociology/Social Science
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
ACADEMIA
January 2005 to present Associate Professor of Education
August 15, 1999 to 2005 Assistant Professor of Education Marygrove College
Detroit, MI 48221
Courses Taught 1999-2006
EDU/ENG 205 Children’s Literature (3)
EDU 241 Educational Psychology (3)
EDU 354/554 Methods of Teaching Social Studies (3)
EDU 364A Methods for Teaching Elementary Reading & other Language Arts (3)
EDU364B Elementary Reading – Practicum (3)
EDU 524 Classroom Management (3)
EDU 534 General Secondary Methods (3)
EDU 540 Developmental Psychology (3)
EDU 541 Educational Psychology (3)
EDU 543 Adolescent Psychology (3)
EDU 548 Teaching Writing & Speaking (3)
EDU 557 Methods for Teaching Intermediate and Secondary Reading (3)
EDU 564A Methods for Teaching Elementary Reading & Other Language Arts (3)
EDU 564B Reading Practicum (3)
EDU 567 The Writing Process in Literacy Development (3)
EDU575 Foundations of American Education (3)
EDU 665 Educational Research (3)
RDG 509 The Psychology of Reading (3)
RDG 559 S/G Literature Based Instruction (3)
RDG 699 Reading Practicum (3)
MAT/EDU 597 Inclusion (Distance Learning (DL))(3)
MAT/EDU 605 Curriculum Development (Flint) (6)
MAT/EDU 690 Collaborative Action Research (DL)(3)
Administrative
Summer 2000 Three month contract position: Co-director of Griots Program-Initiative to increase the number of African American male teachers
Adjunct Lecturer College of Education University of Michigan, Flint, MI
EDU 333 Integrating the Language Arts (4 ) Sp99
Adjunct Lecturer College of Education Marygrove College, Detroit, MI 48221
EDU 357/557 Teaching Intermediate and Secondary Reading (3) W99
EDU/ENG 205 Children’s Literature (3) F98
Lecturer Reading and Language Arts Department - Oakland University
School of Education and Human Services,
Oakland University. Rochester, MI 48309-4494
RDG 560 Emerging Literacy (4 )
RDG 571 Storytelling and Creative Dramatics(4)
RDG 572 Literature for Children and Young Adults (4)
RDG 575 Teaching Writing in the Elementary and Secondary Schools (4)
RDG 332 Literature for Children (4)
RDG 333 Teaching Language Arts (4 )
RDG 577 Narrative Reading and Writing (2)
RDG 563 Reading and Writing Connection (2)
RDG 534 Reading and Language Arts Instruction in the Elementary School (4)
RDG 538 Reading in the Content Area (4)
RDG 414 Reading Assessment (4)
Non-Collegiate
1997 - 1998 Reading Instructor, Project Upward Bound
Oakland University – Rochester, MI
1986 - present Middle & High School Teacher-Self Contained, Pentecostal Christian Academy,
Academy , Detroit, MI 48211
Clinical
1996 (Summer) Family Therapist, Catholic Social Services, Pontiac, MI
1992 - 1995 Therapist, Children’s Center of Wayne County, Detroit, MI
1989 - 1992 Family Worker, Boysville of Michigan, Detroit, MI
1987 - 1989 Family Therapist, Barat Family Services, Detroit, MI
1985 - 1986 Social Work Technician, Ridgeview Institute, Smyrna, GA
1975 - 1984 Caseworker, Caseworker Principal, Assistant Superintendent
Adolescent Residential Group Home,
Georgia Department of Human Resources, Atlanta, GA
Professional Affiliations
National Black Child Development Institute
National Council of Teachers of English – Children’s Literature Assembly-Notable Books Committee
International Reading Association
Michigan Reading Association
PUBLICATIONS
Johnson, V., et al. "Between the Covers: Poetry in Motion." National Black Child Development Institute.
Fall 2006.
Language Arts (2006)
Journal of Children’s Literature (2006)
Johnson, V. & Mongo, J. (2004). African American children’s literature in the 20th century. In Linda
Pavonetti (Ed.). A History of Children’s Literature. Libraries Unlimited.
Johnson, V. (2002). Urban adolescents jump into young adult literature. Michigan Reading Journal, 35
(1), 12-16.
2001 - present Co-author. Between the Covers: Children's Literature by African American Authors
and Illustrators, Child Health Talk. National Black Child Development Institute.
Washington, DC.
Johnson, V. (1997). Beyond the cornerstore: Broadening themes in cultural text written by urban
African American adolescents. Illinois Reading Council Journal. 25(2), 18-25.
(1992). Educating at risk African American male students. Professional Potential:
A vision for new and future teachers. 1, 15-17, University of Michigan: Ann Arbor.
PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS
April 7-11, 2006 American Educational Research Association San Francisco, CA Panel Presentation: Urban Adolescents and Teacher Literature Choices.
May 5, 2006 International Reading Association Chicago, IL. Co-presenter Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts Committee. Introduced. the 2005 Notable Books List.
October 17-20, 2005 National Black Child Development Institute Orlando, FL Co-presenter: Between the Covers: Review 2005 publications African American children’s literature, tribute to James Haskins, research conducted with urban and suburban pre-service and in-service teachers book choices, comparison with student choices.
October 28-29, 2005 Michigan Association of Teacher Educators Saginaw, MI. Co-presenter. Bridging the Gap between Pre-service and In-Service Teacher Knowledge of Young Adult Literature and Urban Adolescents Literature Choices. Presenting research with urban students and teachers about literature choices.
November 20, 2005 National Council of Teachers of English, Pittsburgh, PA. Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts Committee will introduce the 2005 Notable Books List. Following a slide presentation of each of the 30 books, participants will be invited to engage in roundtable conversations with committee members and Notable Books authors and illustrators
Workshop: Using Popular Culture: HIP HOP WITH HIGHLAND PARK, Highland Park, MI August 25, 2005. Focused on historical perspective of Hip Hop, transition from hip-hop to gangsta, influence on youth culture and lessons plans to incorporate hip hop across the curriculum.
March 05 Michigan Reading Association 49th Annual Conference Grand Rapids, MI
Presentation: Co-presenter – Between the Covers-National Black Child Development Institute Conference. Los Angeles, CA. October 2004. Presented current African American children’s literature, and research conducted with urban high school students and their book choices.
Workshop: Reading Across the Curriculum: Developing Standards Based Reading Activities. Highland Park School District. May 04. This workshop was designed for K-12 instructors to develop standards based thematic units incorporating all subject areas. Participants created units related to their content area and connected it across the curriculum.
Presentation: Co-presenter-Attack the problem…Not the Kid! Helping All Children Read Better. Educational Summit and Student Conference. Pontiac Interfaith Council. March 04. Co-presented multi-cultural children’s literature, and presented reading strategies and techniques to parents and educators.
Workshop: Reading Across the Content Area: Connecting special subjects. Highland Park School District, January 2004. Demonstrated science based reading strategies to integrate art, music, computer skills and physical education.
Presentation: Using Young Adult Literature in the Classroom. McDougall-Little Publications-DPS Professional Development Program Summer Academy, June 2003. Shared research based on my work with young adult literature, and shared appropriate book titles.
Presentation: “What is it about me you can’t teach? Issues in urban teaching. BEST Grant-DPS, Detroit, MI, May 3, 2003. Focused on perceptions of urban schools and teachers. Examined successful urban school teaching, and teacher efficacy.
Presentation: Between the Covers: National Black Child Development Institute October 17, 2003, New Orleans, LA. Shared research results from a project initiated in the previous conference, presented a tribute to deceased author/illustrator Tom Feelings, and shared the new literature genre.
Workshop: Youth Leadership and Professional Development: Storytelling Experience. A Symposium on the Urban Family, Bridges, November 21, 2002, Marygrove College. Engaged children ages five to sixteen in a storytelling activity, and demonstrated skills for group leaders present.
Presentation: Between the Covers: Literature for our children, 32nd Annual Conference, October 27, 2002, Atlanta, GA. Shared current children’s literature books, and presented young adult literature with sensitive issues such as physical and sexual abuse, violence, suicide, self esteem, teen pregnancy, and prejudice.
Presentation: Special Issues of African American Parents. 23rd Annual Professional Development Conference. The Children’s Center of Wayne County, May 20, 2002. Focused on issues unique to African American parents in urban areas. Shared strategies and techniques to support successful parenting, and included a list of issue related children’s books that therapist, caregivers and parents could use with children.
Presentation: African American Children’s Literature, National Black Child Development Institute, October 24, 2001. Miami, FL Presented most recent titles of African American literature for adolescents and strategies to engage them in therapeutic discussions.
Presentation: Adolescent Writing. Michigan Reading Association, March 13, 2001. Grand Rapids, MI
Presented strategies to engage adolescent writers. Discussed article published in 1997 Illinois Reading Council Journal about my work with middle school writers.
Presentation: Intergenerational/Extended Family Parenting Issues. The Children’s Center of Wayne County. 22nd Annual Professional Development Conference. June 12, 2001. Presented information on issues related to intergenerational parenting and shared strategies to support the caregivers.
Presentation: Jumping in the Book: Strategies to engage urban adolescents in literacy activities. Adolescent Literacy Forum, International Reading Association, November 11, 2000, Detroit, MI
Presented strategies and techniques to engage urban adolescents, and shared data from classroom experiences and students responses.
Workshop: Storybook listeners, Storybook readers. Lewis College of Business, September 14, 2000, Detroit, MI. Demonstrated how to read aloud to children, and use strategies to support literacy development.
Presentation: The Color of Children’s Literature in this Century. Marygrove College, Academic Symposium, Creative Visions for A New Century. April 7, 2000. Shared dissertation research data on the depiction of characters in multicultural literature.
Clinical Presentations
(Marygrove College-Continuing Education)
Todd-Phillips Homes for Adolescent Boys - Staff Development Series
4/99 Communication
5/99 Discipline
6/00 Non-violent strategies
Children’s Center of Wayne County, Detroit, MI
5/02 Special Issues in African American Families
5/01 Intergenerational parenting
6/99 Special needs of African American Families
7/98 Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of substance abuse in children
10/96 Multigenerational parenting and substance abuse issues
5/96 Creating therapeutic relationships to facilitate change
11/95 Intergenerational parenting issues of African American families
4/95 Special issues of African American parents
4/94 Chemical dependency and issues with children
Research interests