Meet the Faculty

Bob Almada
Bob is a veteran educator of over thirty years. He is a former math department chairman at the high school level. Bob has been teaching adult learners for over 10 years. He is well liked and much sought after instructor. Look for his courses on math, differentiating instruction, integrating technology, and gifted education.

Jamie Cole
Jamie is a multi talented instructor who has had a great deal of training in cognitive research, brain-based learning and the multiple intelligences. Jamie works with students with special needs. Among the courses that Jamie teaches are brain-compatible classroom, characteristics learning disabilities, and including students with special needs.





Marc Denny
Marc is an extremely liked veteran educator. A long time favorite of Saint Xavier graduate class students, his classes fill fast. Marc brings a wealth of experience to his classes. Look for Marc's classes on underachieving students, maintaining sanity in the classroom, positive discipline, and a comprehensive program for classroom management.

Linda Farruggia
Linda is highly respected and sought after instructor. With over thirty years in education she brings a wealth of experience to her classes. A former President of the Illinois Reading Council, she has worked with the Illinois State Board to train teachers in reading, literacy and gifted programs. Linda's focus is to support teachers as they learn current research, new skills and strategies to improve academic achievement and improve their craft. Look for Linda's classes on reading, and gifted education.

Jim Goodfellow
In demand, that's what describes Jim. His background as a dean, with a masters in special education and a type 73 certification in counseling this veteran educator brings a wealth of knowledge to his courses. Look for Jim's courses on school legal issues, aggression among girls, violence prevention, and learning styles.

Jim Hayward
Jim is a five year veteran for Pearson. As an elementary school educator, he enjoys bringing new ideas to the classroom to meet the needs of his students. He has recently developed several new courses in the area of web design to help teachers, they are Online Resources and Website Creation for Educators and Advanced Online Resoures and Website Creation for Teachers. In these courses, educators will create websites and take typical everyday projects and put them on the web. He also enjoys working with educators in the area of classroom management. Look for his classes in the classroom management and technology sections of the catalog.

David Holm
David is new to our instructor cadre. He is a nationally board certified teacher. He has been an educator for 35 years at the middle school and high school levels. He is a reading specialist with a background in teaching English and social studies. Look for the reading courses in our catalog that Dave teaches. Dave has twice competed in the Lake Placid, New York Ironman Competition.

Terry London
A very popular instructor, Terry has been teaching courses for Pearson for years. Terry is a certified trainer in Rational Emotive Behavior Theory, (REBT). His classes have helped educators to understand themselves and their students, which has led to more effective teachers and better classroom management. Terry also teaches courses in anger management, stress management, addiction, and combating gang psychology in our schools.

Marie Elena Meagher
A nationally known presenter at social studies conferences, Marie brings a welcome perspective on strategies for teaching social studies. Her classes are full of inventive interactive strategies for social studies. A veteran educator, Marie Elena is completing her first year with Pearson. Look for Marie Elena's classes on social studies.

Mary Jane Muccianti-DeCarlo
Mary Jane has spent 28 years before the dry erase board teaching kindergarten and serving as the district's technology coordinator. She has been teaching adult learners for four years. Recently she designed the computer curriculum for District 89. Mary Jane brings energy and enthusiasm to her classroom. Mary Jane teaches positive discipline, responsible behavior, and authentic assessment.

Mary Pawl
Eric Jensen in his book The Brain with the Arts in Mind, illustrates the connection of the fine arts with the brain and the learning process. With a background in drama, Mary brings drama into the reading and math classroom. A course in movement education is in the works for K-5 teachers. In addition, Mary is a reading specialist for her district. Mary has been in education for 19 years and is in her fourth year with Pearson.

Carol Thompson
Carol is a veteran educator who has been with Pearson for the past four years. Among her classes are Exploring Interpersonal Relations, Differentiating Instruction, and Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum. This highly rated instructor can be found teaching French in the Waukegan Public Schools and during the summer she takes a group to France.

Marilyn Twinning
Marilyn is a well known Pearson instructor for over ten years. As a retired educator, Marilyn has a private consulting business. This very knowledgeable instructor does an outstanding job teaching Working with the At-Risk Student, Inclusion courses and Brain-Based Learning courses.

Dave Venetucci
A highly respected educator, Dave has been an instructor for twenty years and involved in teaching adult learners at the graduate level for 6 years. Dave has experience in broadcast journalism, television production, speech communication and language arts. Look for his courses on Effective Public Speaking for Educators and Effective Constructive Criticism.

Randee Willis
In her 2nd year with Pearson, this 21 year veteran of the classroom brings her expertise in Reading to her grad courses. A reading specialists, Randee teaches courses in Reading in the Content Areas, Creative Reading Strategies, and Teaching Grammar: A Multisensory Approach. Because of the emphasis on reading from the NCLB, Randee's courses are in high demand. Take advantage of her knowledge and skills and look for reading courses taught by Randee.