Dr. Westland’s background spans the K-12 and collegiate audience as she has taught in a variety of settings - both general education and special education. She holds a BA in psychology from UCLA; a MA in educational psychology from San Francisco State University, a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Cornell University, and a second BA (yes, she went back to school after she finished her terminal degree/Ph.D.) in Secondary Education with Endorsements in Social Studies and Special Education.

She is currently the site professor at Carmody Middle School in Jeffco and oversees a cohort of Teacher Candidates. She has taught at CU Denver in SEHD since 2001 in the special education, teacher education, and educational psychology (now Learning Development & Family Services) programs. She is passionate about mental health, travel, and embracing life to the fullest. She embraces the art of teaching through story telling as we make our lives meaningful through the stories we tell and experience. She serves as a workshop facilitator for the Friends School, supporting alternative licensure.

Her passion is working with at risk youth and truly understanding parental involvement from a variety of perspectives. As she mentors teachers (both teacher candidates, new teachers, and veteran teachers), she connects people to professional organizations and becomes a connector for them, sharing her expertise in the special education field as it pertains to behaviors and families.

 

Change is the end result of all true learning. - Leo Buscaglia