COE Ph.D. Candidate Inspires Future Secondary Teachers - University of Houston
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COE Ph.D. Candidate Inspires Future Secondary Teachers

Eve ZehaviDepartment of Curriculum & Instruction (CUIN) Doctoral Candidate Eve Zehavi is a model Ph.D. student who inspires future secondary teachers in the College of Education every day.

Zahavi’s research focuses on children's literature, early reading, and the use of primary sources in literature and across disciplines. The pedagogy of teaching complex texts is also something she would like to explore.

Zehavi has published research findings, contributed to the effective launch of the CUIN Graduate Students’ Organization and presented papers at several state and national conferences.  “Eve has been selected to showcase a professional development workshop at the annual conference of the International Literacy Association (ILA),” said Laveria Hutchison, Chair of the Department of CUIN.  “Less than 15% of all international submissions are accepted for program delivery.”

Zehavi has worked with CUIN professor Laura Turchi on projects that will prepare her for the future.  As a graduate assistant to Turchi, Zehavi creates and delivers the Introduction to Teaching course to aspiring secondary teachers here in the UH College of Education.  Turchi describes Zehavi as "an enthusiastic and talented collaborator who shares in the weekly planning and constant reflection that makes the course so strong.”

As part of Turchi’s research on teaching Shakespeare, Turchi and Zehavi received a new faculty grant award and sponsored Teaching Shakespeare in Texas Secondary Schools as a weekend workshop for Houston teachers. They co-presented Creating Shakespeare on Purpose: How the Bodies in The Classroom Matter at the Journal of Language and Literacy Education (JoLLE) National Conference in Athens, GA.

“Dr. Turchi has given me unbelievable opportunities to experience all the dimensions of academic life, said Zehavi.  “I have been lucky to teach the Introduction to Teaching course.” 

Zehavi credits her great mentors at the College of Education and to colleagues with whom she will share life-long relationships in helping her get where she is today.  “Really all the faculty have been wonderful, but when I grow up, I want to be just like Dr. Mountain,” said Zehavi.  “She has a beautiful, positive spirit and is an amazing advocate for all of her students.”

Zehavi hopes to pursue a career that embraces the totality of academic life: teaching, presenting, research, and writing.  In the meantime she continues her studies while serving as president of the CUIN Graduate Student Association and working as a Graduate Assistant.  She plans to graduate with her Ph.D. in CUIN in 2016/2017.