Research Associate
Donna A. Gaarder is a Research Associate in WestEd’s Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) project. She develops instructional materials and designs and conducts professional development to enhance teacher knowledge in the areas of mathematics and mathematics pedagogy. A current focus for Gaarder is QTEL implementation in the Austin Unified School District.
Gaarder contributes to district, state, and national efforts to improve mathematics instruction, with attention to the role of academic language in promoting student understanding. Her areas of expertise include secondary mathematics education, teacher professional development, mathematics curriculum reform, and assessment.
She has taught courses for secondary school teachers in the mathematics and education departments at San Francisco State University, Sonoma State University, and San Francisco City College. In the San Francisco Unified School District, she coordinated the Urban Systemic Program in K–12 mathematics, which addressed the needs of linguistically diverse student populations and students at risk of school failure.
Gaarder earned an MA in mathematics education from Stanford University.
Tel: 415.615.3155
415.565.3012
Email: dgaarde@wested.org
Mailing Address:
730 Harrison Street
San Francisco, California 94107-1242
Project Work:
Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL)
