Nancy R Singer, Ph.D.

Nancy Robb Singer holds B.S. Ed. and M.Ed. degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Dr. Singer chairs the Department of Educator Preparation and Leadership. At UMSL, Dr. Singer co-directs the Gateway Writing Project (GWP) and is a faculty lead in the English Education program. Dr. Singer’s primary teaching responsibilities include undergraduate English education methods courses and graduate courses in composition studies. Her teaching draws upon fourteen years’ experience teaching high school and middle school English and journalism. Her research interests include teacher preparation and induction, composition theory and research, educational technology in teacher education and in composition, and writing assessment. Additionally, Dr. Singer has been actively involved in research that addresses teacher preparation and retention. These projects have included online support of novice teachers, investigation of how teachers create and perceive their professional identities and philosophies, and mentoring teachers preparing for jobs at hard-to-staff schools. She has published numerous articles and technical papers in journals including the Journal of Writing Assessment, Urban Education, and Teacher Development.