Susan B. Neuman is Professor and Chair of the Teaching and Learning Department at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. Before coming to NYU, she served on the faculty in Educational Studies at the University of Michigan, directing the Ready-to-Learn Research Program. Previously, she has served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education. She is especially proud of her work in establishing the Early Reading First program, the Early Childhood Professional Development Education Program, and enhancing accountability efforts to improve children's achievement.
Susan is currently working on interventions that change the odds for children at risk, focusing her efforts on bringing content-rich instruction to children through shared books and media experiences. She received her doctorate at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, her M.A. at California State University, Hayward and her B.A. at American University. Prior to coming to NYU, she was a Professor at Temple University, the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and Eastern Connecticut State University.
Read more about Susan Neuman and Donna Celano's new book, "Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance".
Read Nicholas Kristof's poignant piece in the New York Times. An audio of radio-times is below.
Also read the news published on Education Week, Students Must Learn More Words, Say Studies.
Giving Our Children A Fighting Chance offers a compelling, eye-opening portrait of two communities in Philadelphia with drastically different economic resources. Over the course of their 10-year investigation—from 1998 to 2009—authors Susan Neuman and Donna Celano came to understand that this disparity between affluence and poverty has created a knowledge gap—far more important than mere achievement scores—with serious implications for students' economic prosperity and social mobility. At the heart of this knowledge gap is the limited ability of students from poor communities to develop information capital. This moving book takes you into the communities in question to meet the students and their families, and by doing so provides powerful insights into the role that literacy can play in giving low-income students a fighting chance. Published by Teachers College Press; 176 pages, $29.95. Find it in the bookstore.
For more details about the book, Click here to download a pdf.
All About Words is Susan's newest book, co-authored with Tanya Wright (Teachers College Press, 2013). Designed for professional development, it is a must-read, research-based approach for teaching content-rich vocabulary. Based on four separate research trials, studies have shown dramatic gains in vocabulary, conceptual knowledge and comprehension skills for children in early childhood.