One of the things I enjoy most about my work is the opportunity to make a difference in many facets of life at Dordt. As someone who loves to lead change, I find it energizing to have an array of responsibilities:
Serving at Dordt is a joy, as every day is "the Lord's day" -- an opportunity to equip faculty, students, and staff to grow in faith, effectiveness, and influence.
Leadership through academic service & scholarship
Education & Credentials
Ph.D., Michigan State University (Critical Studies in the Teaching of English)
M.A., Michigan State University (Critical Studies in the Teaching of English)
B.A., Calvin College (English)
Academic Leadership Academy, Pennsylvania State UniversityCivil Rights Investigator Certification, Levels I & II, ATIXA
Research & scholarship focus: Teacher education & composition-rhetoric (especially faculty as teacher-writers and administrators as literacy sponsors)
Selected recent publications: (see https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/ to access full-text of publications completed while at Dordt)
Zuidema, Leah A.; Daichendt, G. James; and Kerry Fulcher. “Supporting Teaching Faculty as Scholars: A Developmental Model.” Christian Higher Education. Forthcoming Spring 2019.
Zuidema, Leah A. “Policy, Practice, and Dialogue: A Framework for NCTE Action and Relational Strategy.” Invited article. English Education. 51.1 (2018): 94-100.
Zuidema, Leah A. “The Toughest Question about Christian Education.” In All Things invited essay. September 10, 2018. https://inallthings.org/the-toughest-question-about-christian-education/ - Ranked as the most read In All Things post for 2018. (https://inallthings.org/the-top-10-iat-articles-for-2018/)
Hicks, Troy; Whitney, Anne; Fredricksen, James E., and Leah A. Zuidema. Coaching Teacher-Writers: Practical Steps to Nurture Professional Writing. Teachers College Press, 2017.
Zuidema, Leah A. and James E. Fredricksen. “Resources Teachers Use to Think about Student Writing.” Research in the Teaching of English. 51.1(2016): 12-36.
Zuidema, Leah A. “How (and Why) to Give the Gift of Rest.” In All Things invited article. July 9, 2015. https://inallthings.org/how-and-why-to-give-the-gift-of-rest/
In a world of distraction and fragmented attention, deep reading invites us to reclaim focus, curiosity, and thoughtful engagement. How can we move beyond simply consuming texts to fostering reflective, meaningful connection?
From the classroom to the workplace, how does the Lordship of Christ shape every aspect of life? This essay explores the intersection of faith and our work, relationships, and everyday decisions.
