Sarah K. McMahan, Ph.D.

Professor

Teacher Education

Contact

Biography

Dr. McMahan is an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and the Co-Director of the Texas Woman’s University New Teacher Academy. Dr. McMahan teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the Department of Teacher Education as well as serves a student teacher supervisor for preservice teachers in the DFW area. Her teaching specializations include instructional strategies, learning theories, and effective classroom management practices. Dr. McMahan has 15 years of experience in education, including serving as a secondary social studies teacher before entering academia. Most recently (Fall 2017) Dr. McMahan returned to the K-12 classroom setting serving as a long-term substitute teacher during her Faculty Development Leave (Sabbatical).

Dr. McMahan’s research is focused on mentoring new teachers and developing school/university partnerships. Her honors and awards include receiving the 2014 TWU Distinction in Teaching Award, College of Professional Education Outstanding Teacher and Mentor Award, Dr. G. Ann Uhlir Fellowship in Higher Education Award, ATE Clinical Practice Fellowship, Ted Booker Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education, and TWU Senior Class Favorite Faculty Award for several semesters. Dr. McMahan is an active member of American Educational Research Association, Association of Teacher Educators, Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) and serves as the Treasurer for Delta Kappa Gamma Nu Delta Chapter.

Education

Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
M.Ed., School Administration, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas
B.S., Secondary Education, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX

Research Interests

New Teacher Induction and Mentoring; School/University Partnerships; Learning Theory; Instructional Practices; Classroom Management; Mentoring

Latest Articles

TEACHING IN CHALLENGING TIMES: HOW CAN CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY ASSIST TEACHERS DURING COVID?
The Texas Forum on Teacher Education (2020)
Laura Trujillo-Jenks, Rebecca Ratliff Fredrickson, Karen Dunlap, Sarah K. McMahan

Building bridges: Strengthening new teacher induction through digital means
TxEP: Texas Educator Preparation (2020)
Amanda Hurlbut, Sarah K McMahan

Down the rabbit hole: Aligning program improvements with real-world goals in teacher education
Emerging Dialogues (2019)
Laura Trujillo-Jenks, Rebecca R Fredrickson, Sarah K McMahan, Karen Dunlap

Finding opportunities outside the academy to enhance student learning
Kentucky Journal of Excellence in College Teaching & Learning (2018)
Rebecca Fredrickson, Karen Dunlap, Sarah McMahan, Amanda Hurlbut

Tips for new teachers: It's all about building relationships with students and their families.
Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) News (2018)
Sarah McMahan

Outstanding teacher: Catherine Soto
PR for People: The Connector. 29. (2018)
Sarah McMahan

Supporting and sustaining the 21st century educator: The unintended benefit of the New Teacher Academy.
The Texas Forum on Teacher Education, 52-58. (2017)
Sarah McMahan, Rebecca Fredrickson, Karen Dunlap, Gina Anderson

Fostering preservice teachers' development: Engagement in practice and learning.
Current Issues in Education (2016)
Sarah McMahan, Ruben Garza

Enhancing teacher candidate success through Experiential learning experiences.
Journal of education and Social Policy (2015)
Sarah McMahan, Peggy Malone, Rebecca R Fredrickson, Karen Dunlap

Experiential learning activities to promote higher education for At-Risk K-12 students.
International Journal of Education and Social Science (2015)
Holly Hansen-Thomas, Rebecca R Fredrickson, Sarah McMahan

Chapters

Integrative collaboratives: How can GYO programs be springboards to establish PDS
in The NAPDS Nine Essentials in Action: Cases of Professional Development Schools | Information Age Publishing (2020)
Gina Anderson, Richard Valenta, Sarah McMahan, Rebecca R Fredrickson, Karen Dunlap

From start to finish: A programmatic approach to digital literacy in teacher education.
in Handbook of research on literacy and digital technology integration in teacher education. | IGI Global (2020)
Amanda Hurlbut, Sarah McMahan, Aimee Myers, Karen Dunlap, Rebecca Fredrickson

Faculty mentoring through the preservice to inservice teacher pipeline.
in In. A. Kent & A. Green (eds) Across the Domains: Examining Best Practices in Mentoring Public School Educators throughout the Professional Journal | Information Age Publishing (2018)
Sarah McMahan, R Fredrickson, K Dunlap

Poor classroom management and the first year teacher
in In. L. Trujillo-Jenks & R. Fredrickson (eds.) Real School Issues: Case Studies for Educators | Rowan & Littlefield (2017)
Sarah McMahan

Triumvirate of Academia
in In S. Thompson & P. Parry (eds.) Coping with Gender Inequities: Critical Conversations of Women Faculty | Rowan & Littlefield (2017)
R R Fredrickson, S McMahan, H Hansen-Thomas

Current Projects

Dr. McMahan serves as Co-Director of the TWU New Teacher Academy (NTA) and has received external funding to support the NTA. Dr. McMahan serves as a Co-PI on a TEA Grow-Your-Own Pathway Grant.

Externally Funded Projects

New Teacher Academy
iTeach Texas ($600) | $600.00 | 2020
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

New Teacher Academy
iTeach Texas | $6,000.00 | 2019
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Project HELP: Hispanic Educators Leading the Profession. ($500,000)
Department of Education: Title V Grant | $500,000.00 | 2019
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Grow your own program pathway grant. ($88,000)
Texas Education Agency | 2019
Role: Collaborator

New Teacher Academy
iTeach Texas | $4,100.00 | 2018
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Grow your own program pathway grant
Texas Education Agency | $100,580.00 | 2018
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Collaborations that support beginning teachers: New Teacher Academy.
iTeachTX | $2,000.00 | 2017
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Internally Funded Projects

Improving the Achievement on the TExES Principal Exam.
TWU College of Professional Education | $1,485.00 | 2016
Research Grant

New Teacher Academy: Tailored Professional Development to Support and Sustain 21st Century Teachers
TWU College of Professional Education | $1,400.00 | 2016
Research Grant

Creating a virtual space for educational networking.
Texas Woman's University Quality Enhancement Programs; Experiential Student Scholar Program. | $4,159.88 | 2015
Research Grant

Classroom technologies to support 21st teachers. TARGET Grant.
TWU TARGET Grant | $45,780.00 | 2015
Research Grant

Professional Affiliations

American Educational Research Association
Association of Teacher Educators
Delta Kappa Gamma, Nu Delta
TX Association of Teacher Educators
TX Directors of Field Experience