Elaine M Czarnecki, M. Ed., is a former elementary school teacher and school-based reading specialist. She is now at Johns Hopkins University, where she teaches graduate courses in reading and provides technical assistance for grant implementation. Elaine also serves as a consultant to school systems and state agencies on a variety of literacy issues.

As a classroom teacher, Elaine taught first, second, third, and sixth grade, in both private and public elementary schools. She particularly enjoyed teaching reading/language arts, and so went on to earn a Master’s Degree in reading from Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland. Elaine became certified as a reading specialist in 1995.

As a school-based reading specialist, Elaine served a K-5 population in a large public elementary school. Her responsibilities included professional development, planning with teachers and staff, working with students to provide individual and small group assistance in reading, testing coordinator, purchasing materials of instruction, grouping, chairperson of the Educational Management Team, and serving on the School Improvement Team. Elaine developed a grouping / intervention plan for her school that received countywide
recognition and succeeded in significantly reducing the number of below level readers in first and second grades. She also won an award from the county for a successful reading incentive plan she designed for grades K-5.

As a reading specialist and literacy consultant, Elaine has worked on a variety of projects. She recently developed curriculum for an Even Start program and participated in a curriculum writing project for the state of Maryland. Elaine and Gilda Martinez have provided professional development for children’s librarians across the state of Maryland in the area of emergent literacy.

Elaine has also participated in program evaluations for grant initiatives, authored a publication for parents and childcare providers on best practices to
promote early literacy development, and presented at state and national conferences. Elaine enjoys sharing her knowledge and love of reading with others, whether children or adults.

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