About D-TALE
The Distributed Teacher and Leader Education program (D-TALE) is Stony Brook University’s home for all programs that lead to New York State Certification for P-12 teaching and administration. Our faculty comprises nationally-known scholars, and professionals who have served full-careers as high school and middle school teachers and administrators. We offer teacher certification programs in English, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and TESOL. We also offer programs that lead to certification for School Building and School District Leadership as well as School Business Leader.
Our education program at Stony Brook is unusually strong. Our program is “distributed” because we don’t house our students in a college of education; instead, those who become teachers at Stony Brook are students in the same courses and majors as their classmates going on to content careers. Science teacher candidates will study with scientists, English teacher candidates will study with writers, mathematics teachers will study with mathematicians. In every field, you will earn a solid background in the content of your discipline, so you’ll be an effective, confident teacher able to lead young minds in this competitive era. With the mentorship of our D-TALE faculty, you’ll learn to design engaging assignments, manage energetic classrooms, use evidence to improve your students’ learning, and help your school be a positive force in your students’ community.
Come join us to help shape the future!
D-TALE Administration
Susan Ross, MA
Interim Director
Distributed Teacher and Leader Education (D-TALE)
Teacher Certification Officer
(631) 632-7053
Susan.Ross@stonybrook.edu
Terry S. Earley, PhD
Director of Assessment and Accreditation
(631) 632-7616
Terry.Earley@stonybrook.edu
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Patricia Dixon
Coordinator for Educational Programs
(631) 632-9486
Patricia.Dixon@stonybrook.edu
Academic Program Directors
Charles G. Backfish, MA
Director, Social Studies
(631) 632-1093
Charles.Backfish@stonybrook.edu
Lisa Berger, PhD
Director of Mathematics Education and Associate Professor of Mathematics
(631) 632-8278
lisa.berger@stonybrook.edu
Sarah Jourdain, PhD
Foreign Language Education Programs Director
(631) 632-7440
Sarah.Jourdain@stonybrook.edu
Craig Markson, EdD
Director, Educational Leadership Programs
(631) 632-7067
Craig.Markson@stonybrook.edu
Linda Padwa, PhD
Associate Director for Science Education
(631) 632-7075
linda.padwa@stonybrook.edu
Keith Sheppard, EdD
Director, Institute for STEM Education
(631) 632-2989
keith.sheppard@stonybrook.edu
Mariann Coogan
Director, TESOL
Mariann.Coogan@stonybrook.edu
Joshua Cabat
Director of English Teacher Education
joshua.cabat@stonybrook.edu
D-TALE at Stony Brook University is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator
Preparation (AAQEP). SBU is working toward accreditation of its educator preparation
programs under the AAQEP standards with an anticipated Quality Assurance Review in Spring 2023.