Dr. Jerry McGuire
Associate Professor of Education
Contact Information
College of Education
2811 NE Holman St, Portland, OR 97211
Phone: 503-493-6596
Email: jmcguire@cu-portland.edu
Education
Ph.D., University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
M.Ed., University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
B.S., University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
Background
I teach in the College of Education at Concordia because the teacher, aside from the student, is the most important element in the classroom. Haim Ginott (1976) says
I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my personal approach that creates the climate. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.
Louis V Gerstner, Jr. is credited with saying "There are no more prizes for predicting rain. Prizes are now awarded for building arks." I believe that's what we are doing in the College of Education: building arks of teachers who leave with hope and promise for children.
I am part of a talented building team, bringing 36 years public school experience as an Oregon teacher, principal, curriculum coordinator and superintendent. I am a generalist, comfortable K-16, with specific skills, who values engaging people in critical thinking. My educational philosophy is practical, characterized generally as turning theory into practice through participation. I believe in respect for the whole individual, the power of group process and the effectiveness of democratic participation.
I attended school at the University of Oregon, earning a master's degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in counseling. My doctoral work centered on field research in democratic participation in problem solving and decision-making, organizational development, instructional effectiveness and administrative leadership. I currently teach educational research, student assessment and evaluation, communication and conflict and organizing and managing school literacy programs at Concordia.