Reich College of Education

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Professor
Undergraduate Middle Grades Program Coordinator

Dr. Tracy W. Smith is Professor and coordinator for the undergraduate middle grades program at Appalachian State University. In 2005, she was the recipient of both the Reich College of Education Outstanding Teaching Award and the Appalachian State University Student Government Association Outstanding Teacher Award. She has been involved in middle level education on the national, state, and local levels. Her service includes work as Executive Director of the South Region for National Professors of Middle Level Education (NAPOMLE), secretary of the North Carolina Professors of Middle Level Education, member of the North Carolina Middle School Journal editorial board, lead reviewer and auditor for the National Middle School Association/ National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Program Review Board, and advisor for the Appalachian State University Collegiate Middle Level Association. In 2001, she received the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Her research interests include performance-based middle level teacher preparation, the history of the middle school movement, the relationship between teaching expertise and student learning, and evaluating the depth of student understanding. She has had articles published in journals such as the Middle School Journal, Journal of Teacher Education, Clearing House, and Teacher Education and Practice.