Wilson, LeeAnne Sandip, BA, MEd. Lit. Spec., EdD

Biography

With a B.A. from Pomona College, M.Ed. from Cambridge College and an Ed.D. from the University of Maine, Sandip has an abiding interest in studying and teaching children's nonfiction literature, literacy and methods of writing and reading, critical thinking and disciplinary writing, as ways of connecting colleagues and building bonds between families and schools. While she started out as a history and social studies teacher, she brings the interest in historical thinking to her work in literacy education. With scientists in her family, nonfiction in science for children and young adults remains an interest.

Sandip served as member and chair the Orbis Pictus Award Committee of the National Council of Teachers of English from 2002 to 2008, member and chair of the Notable Books for a Global Society Award for the International Literacy Association, 2015-2022, and member of the Outstanding International Books of the United States Board on Books for Youth. She served as Treasurer of the New England Reading Association from 2006 to 2012, on the Board, and on the Editorial Board of the NERA Journal, co-editor of The Dragon Lode, a peer reviewed journal of children’s literature and reading, and is the Co-treasurer of the United States Board on Books for Youth (USBBY) of the IBBY. 

She is the Co-director of the Maine Writing Project, whose home is Husson University. She was a Fulbright Scholar 2012-2013 at Avinashilingam University in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and serves on the Fulbright India Interest Group Board.  An interest in tapestry design and weaving has motivated the exploration of how tapestry weaving shares parallel features with writing.

The courses I teach are interactive and integrate both theory and practice. I strive to give my students knowledge and experience in teaching so that they can bring multiple approaches and strategies to their work with the children.