Janice Richards is a recently retired teacher from Williamsburg, Virginia. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College, majoring in English language and literature. She later attended the University of Virginia for graduate studies in the teaching of English to speakers of other languages. She eventually completed a master’s degree in education there, as a Reading Specialist. Janice was also selected to participate in the Northern Virginia Writing Project, a summer intensive graduate program involving the use of writing strategies to teach and learn in all content areas. She is currently a fellow of The National Writing Project.

Janice has experience in a variety of school settings, with diverse student populations, over the last 30 years. Working with Migrant Education in Nelson County Virginia, Janice taught secondary school students English as a second language, as well as tutored them in all academic content areas, as each one needed. In Ketchikan, Alaska, also working through Migrant Education, she taught and tutored students in an alternative setting. The emphasis in Ketchikan was on improvement of individual reading skills, specifically for those significantly below grade level, and student progress was noteworthy enough to expand participation to other nearby schools.

On returning to Virginia in 2000, Janice was employed by Fauquier County to be the sole English teacher for grades 7-12 at their alternative program. There she successfully worked with students with many significant personal and learning challenges. After completing her certification as a Reading Specialist, Janice transferred to Liberty High School, where she taught students with reading challenges from special education, as well as general education populations. In addition, Janice taught intermediate adult ESL part-time and assisted both GED and ESL students in transitioning to community college.