Jenn Sanders

Dr. Jenn Sanders is a Professor of Literacy Education at Oklahoma State University. Her academic passions are developing teachers' knowledge of effective writing instruction and supporting the literacy learning of underserved students. She taught elementary school in rural Florida for five years and has worked with urban schools in Oklahoma, Mexico, and Belize. Her research focuses on K-12 writing instruction, writing peer tutoring, teachers' professional development, and inclusive representations in children's and young adult literature. Dr. Sanders has published three professional books: They're All Writers!: Teaching peer tutoring in the elementary writing center (Sanders & Damron, 2017); Literacies, the Arts, and Multimodality (Albers & Sanders, 2010); and most recently a co-authored book with Dr. Sarah J. Donovan titled Writer to Writer: 7 Community-building Workshops for Teaching Language Arts (2026). She has served as chair of the Notable Books for a Global Society awards, member of the Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts award committee, and co-founder of the Whippoorwill Book Award for Rural YA literature.

Dr. Sanders is committed to Global Meaning Making (Tierney, 2018). She has worked extensively with educators in Belize, collaborating on literacy and language arts professional learning and development programs and fostering sustainable change. She has also worked with educators in Puebla, Mexico as a literacy education consultant and professional development facilitator. 

In addition to her academic work, Dr. Sanders has significant leadership training and experience. She completed the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education's Standards of Professional Practice Institute, a 6-month leadership training program, and AASCU's Emerging Leaders Program. Dr. Sanders served in a variety of leadership roles, including three years as School Head for the School of Teaching, Learning, and Educational Sciences and a year as Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. She served two years as Honors Director for a College of Education, Health, and Aviation and served on the Honors Committee for the University. Dr. Sanders also directed the community-oriented Randall and Carol White Reading and Mathematics Center that serves K-12 children and families with academic tutoring and served as the University's Director of K-12 charter school authorizing.

Research Interests:

Dr. Sanders' research explores K-12 writing pedagogies, writing teachers' professional learning, and inclusive representations in children's and YA literature. In addition, she is interested in university faculty teaching excellence and faculty development.