Acacia M. Warren, Ed.D.
Single Subject Coordinator for UCI's MAT + Credential Program
School of Education
Email: [email protected]
phone: (949) 824-6381
office: 2078 Education
Single Subject Coordinator for UCI's MAT + Credential Program
School of Education
Email: [email protected]
phone: (949) 824-6381
office: 2078 Education
Responsibilities
Credentials
Certifications
Biography
Dr. Acacia Warren was born in Michigan and raised in the Bay Area. She is all about sharing knowledge, receiving knowledge, and co-constructing knowledge. One of her favorite quotes is, "The more we share, the more we have.” She takes great pride in being teachable, adaptable, and reasonable. Dr. Warren has both teaching and administrative experience in K-12 public schools, specifically in the Oakland Unified School District and Los Angeles Unified School District. Her experiences as a teacher, GATE coordinator, intervention coordinator, and assistant principal have led to extensive practice in designing and implementing professional development for in-service teachers, administrators, and parents. One of her greatest accomplishments was writing a STEAM Magnet proposal to start a middle school in a high poverty area in Los Angeles. The proposal was approved by the LAUSD Board of Education in 2017. Another great honor was participating in a 9-day International Education Studies Tour in China (Beijing and Tianjin) through her doctoral program at the University of Southern California. Dr. Warren visited three universities and several elementary and secondary schools to develop a better understanding of schools in a global context. While there, she also took a tour of the Great Wall of China.
As a Secondary ELA/Literacy Coordinator for LAUSD’s district office, Dr. Warren provided Common Core State Standards training and support for 39 secondary schools. She gained additional expertise as an RtI Expert, conducting trainings and professional development for 67 elementary and secondary schools. Prior to UC Irvine, she worked and supported pre-service teachers as a lecturer and supervisor for CSUDH’s Teacher Education Program. Dr. Warren is a published author on project-based learning and creator of the +1 Pedagogy framework. She has presented at several conferences, sharing her passion for PBL and inspiring educators to embrace transformative practices in the classroom. Her deep knowledge of curriculum, integrated technology, PBL, STEAM, cognition and pedagogy, adult learning theory, equity and inclusion, and the day-to-day realities of life in public schools, are invaluable assets for UCI MAT candidates as they learn to negotiate the complexities and joys of the teaching profession. Dr. Warren enjoys traveling, reading, writing poetry, inspiring educators, networking and thinking creatively. You can learn more about Dr. Warren on her LinkedIn page.
Professional Experience
Current Position: Single Subject Coordinator for UCI's MAT + Credential Program
Current Courses Taught at UCI
Previous Courses Taught at CSUDH
Previous Professional Experience
Publications
Grants
Presentations
Awards
Memberships
Intercultural Experiences
Dr. Warren enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and learning about different cultures. Traveling also provides the benefit of enhancing knowledge and understanding of schools in a global context. The following countries and states have diversified Dr. Warren's cultural lens while traveling:
International Travels
Within the U.S.
Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
- Coordinate secondary placements within 13 districts throughout Orange County
- Monitor teacher candidates’ progress in fieldwork, TPEs, and coursework across six disciplines (math, science, English, social science, art, and world language)
- Provide data, communication, and support for mentor teachers and school site administrators
- Supervise, evaluate, and conduct shared observations for single subject supervisors
- Co-develop, implement, and monitor contracts/assistance plans for at-risk candidates
- Plan and conduct orientations for student teachers, mentor teachers, and supervisors
- Co-plan and co-facilitate quarterly meetings for single subject MAT instructors
- Build partnerships and communicate with administrators, mentor teachers, and district personnel
- Participate in recruitment and outreach for prospective MAT candidates and represent at grad fairs
- Review applications, interview, and select incoming candidates for the MAT Program
- Participate on CTC Accreditation Review team in preparation for audit of UCI credential programs
- Analyze data on edTPA, TPEs, Exit & Impact Surveys, and gather feedback from stakeholders
- Serve on steering committee, advisory council, and induction advisory boards (OCDE & SVUSD)
- Assist with coordinating job fair, administrator panels, mock interviews, and edTPA workshops
- Ed.D., Educational Leadership, University of Southern California
- Concentration: Teacher Education in Multicultural Societies (TEMS)
- M.A., Educational Administration, California State University, Dominguez Hills
- M.A., Education, University of California, Berkeley
- B.A., Liberal Studies, University of California, Riverside
Credentials
- Clear Administrative Services Credential, Brandman University
- Clear Teaching Credential with CLAD, University of California, Berkeley
Certifications
- Google Certified Educator - Level 1
- Adaptive Schools - Advanced, Thinking Collaborative
- Cognitive Coaching - Advanced, Thinking Collaborative
- Gifted/Talented Certification, University of California, San Diego (Extension)
Biography
Dr. Acacia Warren was born in Michigan and raised in the Bay Area. She is all about sharing knowledge, receiving knowledge, and co-constructing knowledge. One of her favorite quotes is, "The more we share, the more we have.” She takes great pride in being teachable, adaptable, and reasonable. Dr. Warren has both teaching and administrative experience in K-12 public schools, specifically in the Oakland Unified School District and Los Angeles Unified School District. Her experiences as a teacher, GATE coordinator, intervention coordinator, and assistant principal have led to extensive practice in designing and implementing professional development for in-service teachers, administrators, and parents. One of her greatest accomplishments was writing a STEAM Magnet proposal to start a middle school in a high poverty area in Los Angeles. The proposal was approved by the LAUSD Board of Education in 2017. Another great honor was participating in a 9-day International Education Studies Tour in China (Beijing and Tianjin) through her doctoral program at the University of Southern California. Dr. Warren visited three universities and several elementary and secondary schools to develop a better understanding of schools in a global context. While there, she also took a tour of the Great Wall of China.
As a Secondary ELA/Literacy Coordinator for LAUSD’s district office, Dr. Warren provided Common Core State Standards training and support for 39 secondary schools. She gained additional expertise as an RtI Expert, conducting trainings and professional development for 67 elementary and secondary schools. Prior to UC Irvine, she worked and supported pre-service teachers as a lecturer and supervisor for CSUDH’s Teacher Education Program. Dr. Warren is a published author on project-based learning and creator of the +1 Pedagogy framework. She has presented at several conferences, sharing her passion for PBL and inspiring educators to embrace transformative practices in the classroom. Her deep knowledge of curriculum, integrated technology, PBL, STEAM, cognition and pedagogy, adult learning theory, equity and inclusion, and the day-to-day realities of life in public schools, are invaluable assets for UCI MAT candidates as they learn to negotiate the complexities and joys of the teaching profession. Dr. Warren enjoys traveling, reading, writing poetry, inspiring educators, networking and thinking creatively. You can learn more about Dr. Warren on her LinkedIn page.
Professional Experience
Current Position: Single Subject Coordinator for UCI's MAT + Credential Program
Current Courses Taught at UCI
- ED 302 Directed Secondary Fieldwork Experience (Seminar - Fall)
- ED 307 Student Teaching in Secondary Schools (Seminar - Winter and Spring)
- ED 247 Teaching Investigation: Exploring Dilemmas of Practice (Winter 2019)
Previous Courses Taught at CSUDH
- TED 433 Teaching Practices Seminar
- TED 403 Reading/Language Arts Methods
- TED 465 Fieldwork: Secondary Interns
Previous Professional Experience
- Lecturer and Supervisor, Teacher Education Program, CSUDH
- Assistant Principal (middle school), LAUSD
- Secondary ELA/Literacy Coordinator, LAUSD
- Data Coach, GATE Coordinator, RtI Expert, CCSS Facilitator, LAUSD
- Teacher – 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade, LAUSD
- Teacher – 2nd Grade, Oakland Unified School District
Publications
- Chen, R., Daniels, E., Miller, R. G., Ochanji, M., Seipel, B., & Warren, A. (2021). Educators’ perceptions of middle level education in a state without a middle level teacher credential. CCTE Fall 2021 Research Monograph, 14-20.
- Warren, A. (2019). Cognitive upgrade: An educator's guide for shaping success. San Bernardino, CA: Kindle Direct Publishing.
- Warren, A. (2016). Project-based learning across the disciplines: Plan, manage, and assess through +1 Pedagogy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
- Warren, A. (2014). A study of online project-based learning with Gambassa: Crossroads of informal contracting and cloud management systems. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing: USC Dissertation.
Grants
- Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Advancement (IDEA) Grant
Amount: $1,200 Role: Facilitator
Facilitated a series entitled, Enhancing Brave Spaces Through Inclusion Activities.
Participant goals: learning the critical importance of activism over advocacy, anchoring and advancing equity, social justice and inclusion through collective dialogue and discussion, acknowledging personal bias and blind spots, committing to listening, growing and improving, and being more intentional about creating inclusive spaces in academia. - Racial Equity Special Research Grant (Spencer)
Amount: $75,000 Role: Co-Investigator
UCI team awarded a Spencer Grant to conduct a qualitative comparative case study along with CSU San Bernardino utilizing the Improvement Science approach to examine recruitment processes and practices for Black/African American teacher candidates.
- Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Advancement (IDEA) Grant
Amount: $2,500 Role: Co-Facilitator
Co-facilitated a summer book club for the School of Education entitled (Re)Imagining the Post-Pandemic Classroom: Book Club and Webinar Series. Met weekly in August via Zoom to facilitate the book Stories from Inequity to Justice in Literacy Education: Confronting Digital Divides (2020) by Ernest Morrell, Professor, Notre Dame. - UCI/Santa Ana Teacher Residency STEM Grant
Amount: $500,000 Role: Coordinator
Awarded by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to support the recruitment of 10 teacher candidates (5 science & 5 math), mentor teachers, and university supervisors for a STEM residency. Responsibilities include coordinating student teaching placements, provide training and support for mentor teachers, plan and facilitate quarterly meetings with residency stakeholders, supervise a student-led newsletter, collect and provide data. - UCI Teacher Academy - Schools First Mini Grant
Amount: $10,000 Role: Facilitator
° Awarded $5,000 by Teacher Academy to conduct a summer PBL Institute for Equity, Social Justice, and Inclusion for K-12 educators
° Awarded $5,000 by Teacher Academy to conduct a summer PBL Institute for K-12 educators – article
Presentations
- Spring CUE Virtual Conference: Meet the Authors Event
- ISTE EdTech Virtual Conference
- InnovatEd Conference, Napa, CA
- California STEAM Symposium, Anaheim, CA
- CUE Fall Conference, Sacramento, CA
- PBL Institute (sponsored by Schools First and UCI's Teacher Academy), Irvine, CA
- California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Long Beach, CA
- California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE) Conference, San Diego, CA
- CUE Fall Conference: Meet the Authors Event, American Canyon, CA
- California Association for Bilingual Educators (CABE) Conference, Sacramento, CA
- CUE National Conference, Palm Springs, CA
- California Association for the Gifted (CAG) Conference, San Diego, CA
- California STEAM Symposium, San Francisco, CA
- Better Together: California Teachers Summit, CSU Bakersfield, CA
- National Principals Conference, Philadelphia, PA
- Lead 3 Symposium for Administrators, Redondo Beach, CA
- 42nd Annual Black Child Conference, Los Angeles, CA
- Computer Using Educators (CUE) Fall Conference, Napa Valley, CA
- LAUSD Leadership Institute for Principals (200 administrators), Keynote Speaker
- Better Together: California Teachers Summit, CSU San Bernardino, CA
- California League of Schools (CLS) K-12 Summer Institute, Indian Wells, CA
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Conference, San Francisco, CA
- 41st Annual Black Child Conference, Los Angeles, CA
- CLS Center for Advanced Research and Technology Conference, Clovis, CA
- CLS Technology Conference, Monterey, CA
- Education Week Leadership Dinner Series, Los Angeles, CA
- CLS Common Core Southern Conference, Costa Mesa, CA
- CLS Common Core Southern Conference, San Diego, CA
- “Launch LA: Common Core” Teach Plus Conference, CSU Dominguez Hills, CA
- CLS Common Core Spring Conference, Lake Tahoe, NV
- GATE/SAS Annual Parent Conference, LAUSD
- Central Cities Gifted Children’s Association (CCGCA) Conference, Pasadena, CA
Awards
- Inspirational Teacher Award - 25 Teachers to Watch, United Way of Los Angeles
- Certificate of Recognition, LAUSD Board of Education
- Certificate of Appreciation, Los Angeles District Attorney's Office
Memberships
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
- National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE)
- National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
- National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
- California League of Schools (CLS)
- California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE)
- California Association of Bilingual Educators (CABE)
- Computer Using Educators (CUE)
Intercultural Experiences
Dr. Warren enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and learning about different cultures. Traveling also provides the benefit of enhancing knowledge and understanding of schools in a global context. The following countries and states have diversified Dr. Warren's cultural lens while traveling:
International Travels
- Africa – Tanzania and Kenya (Dr. Warren attended 5th and 6th grade in Kenya)
- Albania – Sarandë
- Canada – Victoria and Vancouver
- Caribbean Islands – Jamaica, Haiti, Aruba, Dominica, Cayman Islands
- China – Beijing, Tianjin, Hong Kong
- Croatia – Dubrovnik
- Greece – Olympia, Mykonos, Athens
- Italy – Venice and Bari
- Mexico – Cozumel
- Netherlands – Amsterdam
- Puerto Rico – San Juan
- Tahiti – Bora Bora
- U.S. Virgin Islands – St. John and St. Thomas
Within the U.S.
Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
