Margaret Jo Shepherd

Dr. Shepherd is Professor Emerita of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, where she established the College's Learning Disability Program. In 1967, Dr. Shepherd created degree-granting programs to train teachers and educational specialists to work with learning disabled students. She directed these programs until 1998 when she retired from her tenured faculty position.

She taught at Teachers College for 30 years. During the same time, Dr. Shepherd created a diagnostic and tutoring center at Teachers College (originally known as The Child Study Center). Today, as part of The Center for Educational and Psychological Services, it provides a practicum site for teachers and psychologists, as well as services for children and families.

She continued to work at the Center until 1998, even though she had relinquished its directorship. Dr. Shepherd was chair of the 1988 group that created a Professional Development School for Teachers in New York City's Community School District #3. This project, which received five years of Ford Foundation funding, is a model for community/university partnerships and practice-centered teacher education - providing preparation for beginning teachers, as well as continuing education. She was a member of the Urban Network to Improve Teacher Education and Japan/United States Teacher Education Consortium.

From 1980 through 1993, she helped train teachers in Ontario, Canada during summer institutes conducted at the University of Waterloo. For 25 years, Dr, Shepherd has been a consultant to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, US Office of Education, and to the New York City Board of Education. She has served on many national educational advisory boards, as well as editorial boards of professional educational journals.

Last updated, November 24, 2020