Professor of Elementary Education

  • Office: Anderson Hall
  • Department: Division of Education
  • Phone: 865-981-8029
  • Email: alesia.orren@maryvillecollege.edu
  • Education: B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; M.Ed., University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Ed.D., University of Virginia.

Dr. Orren joined the faculty at Maryville College in 2000 after earning a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Virginia Tech, a Master’s of Education from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Virginia. She taught public school in three states including Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee in grades spanning second, fifth and seventh. Her initial teacher certification was K-8 with emphasis in language arts and social studies.

TEACHING

One of the hallmarks of the Maryville College Educator Preparation Program is that full-time faculty do all of the supervision of student teaching. In addition to supervision of student teachers, Dr. Orren also regularly teaches the following courses:

  • EDU 303 Models of Instruction
  • EDU 321 Content Area Reading
  • EDU 323 Reading and Writing K-5
 
PROFESSIONAL

Dr. Orren’s professional interests include explicit strategy instruction practices, metacognitive reading strategies, and content-specific pedagogies. Partnerships with local school systems allow her to engage in continuous authentic research as Maryville College student teachers turn theory into practice by utilizing methods introduced in coursework inside the classrooms they teach.

PERSONAL

After losing her husband to cancer in 2008, Dr. Orren’s personal focus has been on raising her three children to become responsible, engaged, compassionate citizens of the world. Her oldest son Luke is a graduating senior at Southwestern University in TX, her middle son Will is set to begin his third year at Center College in KY, and her youngest son Seth will start his college journey in 2020. In her free time, Dr. Orren likes to exercise, read, and eat interesting food (though not necessarily in that order).