EDUCATION
PhD in Language Literacy and Culture, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA: in progress.
Areas: Children's literature, multimodality, critical pedagogy
MA in English (specializing in Rhetoric and Composition), University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI: May 2012.
Thesis: Visual Rhetorics of Silence and the Repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'
BA in English, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR: May 2007
Project: Critical Perspectives on The Chronicles of Narnia
BA in Professional and Technical Writing, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR: May 2007
Project: Seven Things I Would Only Tell A Stranger
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Writing Instructor, University of Massachusetts Amherst Writing Program. Amherst, MA. 2024-2025.
English Instructor, University of Maryland University College European Division. Stuttgart, Germany. 2014-2016.
Functional Academic Skills Instructor, Panzer Education Center, Stuttgart, Germany. 2014-2016.
Junior Specialist & ECE Team Lead, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI. 2011-2013.
INTERNSHIPS & ASSISTANTSHIPS
Editorial Assistant, Equity and Excellence in Education Journal, University of Massachusetts Amherst. 2023-2024.
Editorial Assistant, Discourse Analysis of Language, Literacy, Culture, and Teaching: Concepts, Theories, and Methods in Action, Dr. Denise Ives, University of Massachusetts Amherst. 2022-2023.
Teaching Assistant, Institute for Teacher Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI. 2012.
Graduate Research Assistant, Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI. 2010-2011.
Graduate Research Assistant, Sequoyah National Research Center, American Native Press Archive, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR. 2007-2008.
Writing Center Tutor, University Writing Center, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR. 2004-2007.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Research, Writing and Policy Specialist, Reading Success by 4th Grade, Springfield, MA. 2022-2023.
Early Childhood Education Instructor, Howard County Library System & Community Action Council of Howard County Head Start, Ellicott City, MD. 2019-2021.
Children's Instructor & Research Specialist, Howard County Library System, Ellicott City, MD. 2017-2019.
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Botelho, M. J., Hohmeyer, G., Whitfield, M., & Williams, E. (forthcoming). Re/Contextualizing Picturebook Design Elements with Whole Book Approach and Critical Multicultural Analysis: A Book Case. Journal of Children's Literature.
Whitfield, M. (forthcoming). Becoming 'Patriots of Faith': Building and Performing Collective Theopolitical Identity in the U. S. Evangelical Movement. In R. Sabbath & D. Areyah (Eds.), Sacred Cultures in Politics.
Whitfield, M. (2025). Unmasking Southern White Evangelicalism in U.S. History Education: Racialized Theopolitical Discourses at Work. Review of Education and Cultural Studies, 47(1), 182-201.
Whitfield, M., & Botelho, M. J. (2025, May 3). Writing Democratic Futures: Critical Writing Pedagogy for Social Change. Workshop presented at Western Massachusetts Writing Project Best Practices Conference, Westfield, MA.
Hohmeyer, G., & Whitfield, M. (2025, April 25). Making Meaning in the Middle: A Duoethnography of (Re)Storying Data Analysis. Roundtable paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Qualitative Research SIG, Denver, CO.
Botelho, M. J., Bittner, M., Felis, M., Hohmeyer, G., Whitfield, M., & Swift, C. (2025, Feb.). Patchworks, Insiders, Outsiders, and Literacy Events: Emergences from and through Ethnographic Inquiry of Languages and Literacies. Panel presented at National Council of Teachers of English Research Assembly, Columbus, OH.
Whitfield, M. (2024). Picturing Political Agency: Visual Rhetoric of Child Activism in Narrative Picturebooks. In J. M. Curtis (Ed.), New Directions in Childhood Studies: Innocence, Trauma, and Agency in the Twenty-first Century, Lexington Books.
Whitfield, M., & Botelho, M. J. (2024). Imagining Democratic Futures: Reflections on Critical Writing Pedagogy from Kindergarten to College. Paper presented at National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference, Boston, MA.
Hohmeyer, G., & Whitfield, M. (2024, May). Where'd the Message Go?: A Case Study of Silence and Mainstreaming in Christian Children's Publishing. Paper presented at Children's Literature Association Conference, Madison, WI.
Whitfield, M. (2024, May 23). Called to Respond: Building and Performing Collective Theopolitical Identity in the United States. Paper accepted to Rhetoric Society of America Conference, Denver, CO.
Whitfield, M., & Hohmeyer, G. (2024, April). Messenger vs. Message: A Nethnographic Study of Where'd My Giggle Go? Reviews. Roundtable presented at American Educaitonal Research Association Annual Meeting, Religion & Education SIG, Philadelphia, PA.
Whitfield, M. (2023, Nov. 29). Religious Activism in History Education: Theopolitical Discourse at Work. Roundtable paper accepted to College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA) of the National Council for the Social Studies Graduate Forum, Nashville, TN.
Whitfield, M. (2023, May). Mapping the Movements: A Network Analysis of Social Movements in Picturebooks. Poster presented at the 2023 Research Showcase and Scholarship Celebration at the College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Whitfield, M. (2023, Apr.). Representing Theopolitical Ideologies: A Critical Multicultural Analysis of Religious Rhetoric in Southern US Children's Literature. Paper accepted to American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Whitfield, M. (2023, Mar. 4.) Illustrating Civic Engagement: A Visual Content Analysis of Child-Activism in Picturebooks. Paper presented at National Council of Teachers of English Assembly for Research, University of California, Davis, CA.
Whitfield, M. (2022, Dec. 7). 'A is for Activist, P is for Protest': Picturing Protest in Children's Literature. Paper presented at Language, Literacy, and Culture Graduate Student Conference, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA.
Whitfield, M. (2022, Oct. 1). 'This Here Ain't No Protest Song': A Systemic Functional Linguistic Analysis of Protest Songs Re-Imagined as Picture Books. Paper presented at GRADNASFLA Symposium, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA.
Whitfield, M. (2022, May 4). Protest Songs, Picture Books, and Radical Children’s Literature. Poster presented at the 2022 Research Showcase and Scholarship Celebration at the College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA.
Whitfield, M., Hohmeyer, G., & Botelho, M.J. (2022, March 18). Inside/Outside: Using Children’s Literature to Help Young Children Connect to Home, Neighborhood, and Community. Workshop presented at the Building Bridges Virtual Conference, Springfield, MA.
Botelho, M.J., Hohmeyer, G., & Whitfield, M. (2022, March 18). We Have Stories to Tell: Making Texts with Young Children. Workshop presented at the Building Bridges Virtual Conference, Springfield, MA.
Stodden, N., Podlewski, S., Whitfield, M., DeWoody, H. (2014). Writing Resource Guide for K-8th Grade.
Whitfield, M. (2013, October). Learning to (Teach) Write: Partnering Universities and Public Schools for Dynamic Professional Development Programs. Paper accepted to the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum, Chicago, IL.
Whitfield, M. (2013, June). Learning to (Teach) Write: Decentered Professional Development Programs for Writing Instruction. Paper presented at the Pacific Circle Consortium, Honolulu, HI.
Stodden, N., Podlewski, S., DeWoody, H., Whitfield, M., et. al. (2013, April). Kākau Mea Nui – Writing Matters for Advancing Academic Success of Native Hawaiian Students. Poster presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, Honolulu, HI.
DeWoody, H., Whitfield, M., & Podlewski, S. (2013, February). Kākau Mea Nui (Writing Matters) Project: Professional Development Program, Phase 1 Report. Poster presented at the Hawai'i Educational Researchers Association Conference, Honolulu, HI.
Podlewski, S., DeWoody, H., & Whitfield, M. (2013, January). Kākau Mea Nui (Writing Matters) for Advancing Academic Successes of Native Hawaiian Students. Paper presented at the Hawai'i International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI.
Stodden, N., Podlewski, S., DeWoody, H., & Whitfield, M. (2012, March). Kākau Mea Nui – Writing Matters. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, Honolulu, HI.
Stodden, N., Podlewski, S., Guinan, M., & Whitfield, M. (2011, March). Get Caught Up in WebQuests. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, Honolulu, HI.
Fruge, A. & Whitfield, M. (2009). Found Poetry: Along the Trail. In J. Hayn & C. Grable (Eds.), Trail of Tears Curriculum Guide. The Sequoyah National Research Center.
Sanderson, R. & Whitfield, M. (2008, May). “One Spring Day” Curriculum Guide for Teachers. Paper presented at the UAMS Welcome the Children: Celebrating Cultural Harmony Educator’s Conference, North Little Rock, AR.
Rakes, L., Whitfield, M., Williams, E., Pierce, B. et al. (2007, April). Open Minds, an Open Door, and the 21 Qualities of Leadership: Developing Stronger Writing Center Interns to Help Diverse Clients. Paper presented at the International Writing Centers Association Conference, Houston, TX.
Whitfield, M. (2006). I Think Myself Happy. Quills & Pixels Non-fiction Journal.
Holland, A., Powers, J., Whitfield, M., and Rakes, L. (2006, February). Using Personal Experience to Energize Tutor Training; WACky Scenes from Across the Curriculum. Paper Presented at the South-Central Writing Centers Association Conference, Little Rock, AR.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Committee Member, UMass Writing Program Curriculum Committee, 2024-2025
Reviewer, Pacesetter Peer Reviewer, Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, 2022
Session Chair, Building Bridges Virtual Conference, March 2022
Session Chair, XXIV LLC Graduate Student Conference, December 2021
Committee Member, HCPSS Transition to Kindergarten Workgroup, 2019-2021
Committee Member, Howard County Early Childhood Advisory Council, 2019-2021
Weekly Contributing Author, Head Start Early Childhood Education Bulletin, 2019-2021
MSDE Accreditation Renewal Partner, Old Cedar Lane Head Start, 2019/2020
Reviewer, American Association for Teaching and Curriculum Conference, 2013
Representative, UHM Graduate Student Organization, English Department, 2012-2013
Member, Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society, 2007