Upon earning her Bachelor’s degree from Our Lady of the Lake University, Theresa Garfield (Dr. G) began her 31-year career as an elementary school teacher in an urban setting, teaching multiple grade levels and special education. After earning her Master’s degree and working on her doctorate, she transitioned into higher education and served as department chair and program director at Palo Alto College. In 2009, she moved to Texas A&M University-San Antonio, where she currently serves as a Professor of Special Education. Dr. G is the Co-Chair of the Program Advisory Committee for the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) (2024-2026) and serves in multiple roles in national and local organizations. Dr. G has won teaching and service awards at the local, state, and national levels and maintains an active research agenda in advocacy, accessibility, equity, and efficacy. She mentors and advocates for students, faculty members, and staff. Her passion is eliminating barriers. Dr. G is a proud first-gen faculty member!

Awards

Teaching and Professional Appointments

Scholarship

Espinoza, K. & Garfield, T. (2023). "Its me. Do you have a second?": How testimonios and personal narratives of mentorship and friendship help a tenure-track Latina navigate the academy. Educational Studies, 59(3), 280-298.

Garfield, T. A. & Peterson-Ahmad, M. (2022). Get to know the Professional Standards and Practices Committee. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 55(1), 76-77.

Watts, G. W., Garfield, T. A., & Davis, M. T. (2022). Perceptions and experiences of first-generation college students. College Teaching. DOI: 10.1080/87567555.2022.2050669

Davis, M., & Garfield, T. (2021). Transition to adulthood: Have we done enough for students with learning disabilities? Kappa Delta Pi Record, 57(2), 64-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/00228958.2021.1890440

Garfield, T., & Davis, M. T. (2020). Overcoming online obstacles to teaching exceptional young learners. Early Years, 41(2), 24-26.

Pittman, R. T., Garfield, T., & Piper, R. E. (2020). Increasing the literacy knowledge of teacher candidates: Why service-learning matters.   Collaborations: A Journal of Community-Based Research and Practice, 3(1): 7, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.33596/coll.66

Kearney, W.S. & Garfield, T. (2019). Student readiness to learn and teacher effectiveness: Two key factors in middle grades mathematics achievement. Research in Middle-Level Education Online, 42(5), 1-12.

Pittman, R., Piper, R., & Garfield, T. (2017). Providing teacher candidates opportunities to excel while engaging elementary students in literacy: A partnership that works. Journal of Effective Schools Project, 24, 51-55.

Garfield, T. & Pittman, R. (2017). The impact of experiential learning in literacy preparation and teacher efficacy: A study of SA Reads. TALE Yearbook, 4, 72-81.

Garfield, T. & Gerzel-Short, L. (2017). Uncrossing the wires of technology for students with SLD: Parent, student, and teacher perspectives. Special Education Research, Policy, and Practice, 1(1), 146-153.

Del Toro, J., Rabinovich, E.*, Kearney, W.S., & Dorel, T. (2016). Teaching reading to students with special needs: A case study of one high performing high poverty urban elementary school.  Journal of the Effective Schools Project, 23, 19-23.

Garfield-Dorel, T. & Gerzel-Short, L. (2016) e-Supervision: Point/counterpoint. LD Forum, April 2016, 2-5. (Co-lead authors).

Combes, B. H., Peak, P.W., Barrio, B.L, Lindo, E., Hovey, K.*, Lim, O., Peterson, M., Dorel, T.G., & Goran, L. (2016). Updating and disseminating the Council for Learning Disabilities’ principles of ethical practice: Employing a case-base framework. Intervention in School and Clinic 52(2). 1-10.

Dorel, T., Kearney, W.S., & Garza, E. (2016). Preparing teachers to be ready from day one: The impact of university program design on teacher efficacy. Critical Questions and Issues in Education 7(1), 38-52.

Dorel, T. & McDonald, D. (2015). Promoting inclusion through play.  The Early Years 36(2), p 13-16.

Dorel, T. & McDonald, D. (2015). Promover la inclusión a través del juego.  The Early Years 36(2), p 17-20. [NOTE: Translated into Spanish by Journal]

Dorel, T. & Peterson, M. (2015). Five ways to prepare pre-service special education teachers to teach students with learning disabilities. LD Forum, February 2015, 2-6.

Garza, E. & Dorel, T. (2015). Two paths to field residency: A study of self-efficacy. Southwest Teaching and Learning Journal, 4(1), 24-36.

Pittman, R. & Dorel, T. (2014). Experiential learning and literacy: Preservice teachers’ perspectives. Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 10(2), 88-98.

Dorel, T. (2014). Impacting the way we teach: Exploring subjectivities among pre-service teachers. The National Forum of Teacher Education Journal, 24(1&2), 29-36.

Edited Book Chapters

Garfield, T.A., & Kearney, W.S. (2022). Middle-level mathematics achievement from teacher and student perspectives: Reflections and new directions in middle-level mathematics research. In D. Virtue (Ed.) Dialogues in Middle-Level Education Research Volume 1 (Ch 2). Oxfordshire: Routledge.  ISBN 9781032127118

Kearney, W.S. & Garfield, T. (2022). Student readiness to learn and teacher effectiveness: Two key factors in middle grades mathematics achievement. In D. Virtue (Ed.) Dialogues in Middle-Level Education Research Volume 1 (Ch 3). Oxfordshire: Routledge.  ISBN 9781032127118 [reprinted from Research in Middle-Level Education Online, 42(5), 1-12].

Garfield, T. A. & Hogan, A. (2022). Legislation, litigation, and advocacy: Key issues for teachers. Peterson-Ahmad, M. and Luther, V.  (Eds.)  Collaborative Approaches to Recruiting, Preparing, and Retaining Teachers for the Field. IGI Publication, 204-217.

Dorel, T. & Tejeda, A. (2015). Affect and resilience in urban females: An emerging paradigm. In Inclusive Practices for Special Populations in Urban Settings: The Need for Social Justice Leadership, Esposito, and Normore, Eds., p 103-121.

Edited Non-Refereed Creative Works

Garfield, T. (2018).  “First Breath, Last Breath.”  The Story Mandala: Finding Wholeness in a Divided World.  Prose Press:  Pawleys Island, SC, 128-129.

Select PD Developed and Presented

Garfield, T. (2024, Aug 12). Behavior approaches in an early childhood classroom when working with students with Autism. PCI, San Antonio.

Garfield, T. (2024, May 10). Presenter and Creator. EmpowerAccess CBPAR training for future researchers. City of San Antonio/disABILITY SA.

Garfield, T.A. & Barrion, N. (2023, Dec 20). How to prepare and present an effective CEC Presentation. PD was developed for nationwide distribution to CEC Presenters.

Garfield, T. & Carter, K. (2023, October 20). The intersection between UDL and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. PD presented to the graduate faculty at A&M-San Antonio (first in the PD Series).

Garfield, T.A. & Barrion, N. (2023, May 15). What to know about preparing your proposal for the 2024 CEC Conference. National Webinar presented through CEC.

Garfield, T.A. (2022, January 5). Navigating Face-to-Face and Online Simultaneous Courses. Online. Presented to the University of the Incarnate Word faculty, San Antonio, TX.

Villarreal, E. & Garfield, T. A. (2021, October 18 and November 15). Using Blackboard Ally to create and maintain accessible course materials. Online and FTF, Presented to faculty and staff at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

Over 60 Peer Reviewed Presentations