PERSONAL

Those that know me well know my very selfish main reason for being a teacher educator. I am preparing teachers to teach my five wonderful children. The other reason is that I am training teachers to teach your children. Those are very powerful motivators.

When I’m not teaching I can be found listening to or watching musical theater-nothing like the theater. When not listening to musicals I am most likely reading or watching t.v. with the kids and hopefully, a bowl of chocolate chip ice cream.

My favorite recent experience was teaching high school students involved in our Latino Educators of Tomorrow program. If you are interested in finding out more about this program, please contact me directly.

FAVORITE QUOTES (at least for now!)

1. Vivir con miedo es vivir a medias- from "Strictly Ballroom"

2. and gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche [sic]-Prologue to Chaucer's Cantenbury Tales

3. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths- Proverbs 3:5-6.

4. Live your life so you'll be remembered for the love you spread- Wendi Wittman de Berger, First Lady of Guatemala, speech given at UVU November 2007.

5. Have fun storming the castle!- Miracle Max from The Princess Bride

EDUCATION

Ph.D. University of Utah, 2009. Teaching and learning, Emphasis: Multicultural Social Studies Education.

Administrator/Supervisor Certificate, 2002, Utah State University 

M.S. University of Utah, 1995, American history

B.A. University of Utah, 1990, Major: History. Minor: Exercise and Sports Science.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSING

Current Professional License Year Expires

• Professional Educator License – State ofUtah – Level 3 2018

• Utah Administrator/Advisor Certificate 2018

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Utah Valley University Associate Professor 2002-present

AlpineSchool District Assistant Principal 2001-2002

AlpineSchool District Social Studies Specialist 1997-2001

AlpineSchool District Teacher (Junior High) 1990-2001

SCHOLARLY WORK

Instructional Projects

Ramirez, A.D. (2012). Latino cultural knowledge in the social studies classroom. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 11(2), 213-226.

Ramirez, A.D. (2012). Mexican-Americans in the Era of WWII: Studying the Sleepy Lagoon Case and Zoot Suit Riots. Social Education. May/June, 161-166.

Ramirez, A.D. (2010). Why study history? The Armillary: The journal of the Utah Council for the Social Studies. 1(1), 4-5.

Ramirez, A.D. (2002) Cesar E. Chavez Model Curriculum: Middle School Lessons and Biography. Approved by theCaliforniaState Board of Education onFebruary 6, 2002. Middle level biography and most middle school lessons were individually written and developed. Published on-line through the California Department of Education

http://www.cde.ca.gov/cesarchavez/model/Teachers/Lessons_7-9.htm

PRESENTATIONS

National:

• 2009- Traditional Latino Cultural Background Knowledge- CUFA, National Council for the Social Studies Conference, Atlanta Georgia.
• 2003- The Pew Forum onReligion&Public Life,Washington D.C. Panel Discussion, “Teaching About Religion in Public Schools: Where Do We Go from Here?”
• 2001- National Council for the Social Studies,San Antonio,Texas . Workshop “Putting it all together: Civics and reading comprehension.” Part of the NCSS Teacher of the Year workshops.

Local

• 2012-Why college matters. The Stegner Young Scholars' Writig Institute. University of Utah.
• 2011 Latino summer bridge programs. Utah National Associate of Multicultural Educators. Utah Valley University.
• 2010 Latinos and concurrent enrollment. Latinos in Action conference at Utah Valley University.
• 2008 The 3Rs in Higher Education. Utah 3Rs Conference at Westminster College
• 2007 - Utah Education Association Annual Conference
• 2007 -Utah 4^thGradeSocialStudiesWorkshop-UtahState Office of Education
• 2007 - Standards andPracticeAcademy forSocialStudies-UtahState Office of Education
• 2007 - UVSC Annual Scholarly and Creative Activities Showcase with Dr. Nancy Peterson and Talitha Hudgins
• 2006 - Utah 4^thGradeSocialStudiesWorkshop-UtahState Office of Education
• 2005 -Utah 4^thGradeSocialStudiesWorkshop- UtahState Office of Education
• 2004 - Moral Dimensions of Education and Latino Students- BYU CITES Associates Leadership Team retreat.
• 2003 - Literacy Across the Content Conference sponsored by the BYU Partnership,Orem,Utah . Workshop “ Integrating Social Studies and Language Arts.”
• 2003 -BYUCenter for the Improvement of Teacher Education and Schooling,Provo,Utah . Workshop, “Teaching Students the Responsibilities that go with Their Rights.”
• 1999 - NCSS Regional Social Studies Conference,Salt Lake City,Utah . Workshop, “We the People, the Citizen and the Constitution: Authentic Assessment in Civics Education.”

SERVICE and Committee Work

2011-present Insurance and Benefits Committee for UVU

2011-present  Rank and Tenure-School of Education

2011-present  History department tuning committee

2009-present  UVU Summer bridge committee

2009-present Utah Scholars presenter- Utah Regents

2009-2011  Regents K-16 Minority/higher education committee

2008-2010 Director- UVU Latino Educators of Tomorrow

2007-Present UVU Hispanic Advisory Board

2002-2011 Advisory Board, Utah Three R’s Program

2002-2006 Selection Committee, Huntsman Teacher of the Year Award

2002-2006 Judge,Utah We the People, the Citizen and The Constitution Competition

2002-2006 County and State Delegate,Utah Republican Party

2000-2002 IHC Community Relations Board; NorthUtahCounty

2000-2001 President, Utah Council for the Social Studies

1995-2000 Board Member,Utah Council for the Social Studies

RECOGNITION

• 2011 UVU Community Engagement Award
• 2009- UVU Alumni: Outstanding Educators of the Year (School of Education)
• 2003 - FacultyExcellenceAward-UVSCSchool of Education
• 2001 - National Middle Level Teacher of the Year, National Council for the Social Studies
• 2001 - Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education
• 2000 - Honorable Mention, TIME Teacher of the Year
• 1998 - Utah Social Studies Teacher of the Year, presented by Utah Council for the Social Studies
• 1997 - Congressional Internship: Senator Orrin Hatch, Office of the Judiciary
• 1995 - PTA State Golden Apple Award
• 1994 - James Madison Fellow
• 1993 - Project Merit Award,Utah Humanities Council