Dr. Gwen Marra serves as associate professor of education at Dordt University and the director of the Thrive Center for Achievement.
Dr. Marra plays a key role in preparing teachers who can make a lasting difference in their students' lives. In her role as the Director of the Thrive Center for Achievement, she leads literacy support services and works to provide resources for students. Additionally, she serves on the Faculty Status Committee, the Iowa Reading Research Center Advisory Board, and the Iowa Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (IACTE) literacy team.
“The ability to read affects all areas of life. It is a privilege to help struggling readers become successful readers who enjoy reading and to equip future teachers to teach reading effectively,” says Dr. Marra.
Her research interests focus on dyslexia, literacy instruction, and early childhood education, with a particular emphasis on intervention strategies such as the Orton-Gillingham approach and Speech to Print methods.
Dr. Marra has earned recognition for her work in the field, including certification as a Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner and an award for Noteworthy Scholarship and Service at Dordt University for her contributions to the Thrive Center for Achievement.
Before joining Dordt, Dr. Marra spent seven years teaching kindergarten, second, and third grades at Sioux Center Christian School. She also spent 18 years as the owner and director of a preschool, where she taught for 11 years.
Education
- Ed.D. in Literacy, University of South Dakota.
- M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction, Dordt University.
- B.A. in Elementary Education, Dordt University.