Confronting the Crisis of Engagement: Creating Focus and Resilience for Students, Staff, and Communities

Nancy Frey is a professor of literacy in the School of Teacher Education at San Diego State University. Through the university’s teacher-credentialing and reading specialist programs, she teaches courses on elementary and secondary reading instruction and literacy in content areas, classroom management, and supporting students with diverse learning needs.

Frey also teaches classes at Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego. She is a board member of the California Reading Association and a credentialed special educator and reading specialist in California.

Before joining the university faculty, Frey was a public school teacher in Florida. She worked at the state level for the Florida Inclusion Network helping districts design systems for supporting students with disabilities in general education classrooms.

She is the recipient of the 2008 Early Career Achievement Award from the National Reading Conference and the Christa McAuliffe Award for excellence in teacher education from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. She was co-recipient of the Farmer Award for excellence in writing from the National Council of Teachers of English for the article "Using Graphic Novels, Anime, and the Internet in an Urban High School". She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel and is a popular speaker at national literacy conferences where she leads professional development workshops.

Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., and Nancy Frey, Ph.D., are influential educators, authors, and researchers whose collaborative work has shaped contemporary approaches to instruction, literacy, curriculum design, and professional learning. They serve as professors in the Department of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University, where they focus on evidence-based practices that help educators strengthen teaching and learning across grades and content areas.

Together, Doug and Nancy have written or co-authored dozens of professional books that translate complex research into accessible, practical strategies for educators, including widely used titles on structured teaching, teacher clarity, and instructional improvement. Their work emphasizes structured, coherent instruction; the gradual release of responsibility; and building teacher capacity through professional learning that is both rigorous and accessible.

Through writing, workshops, and school partnerships, Fisher & Frey support teachers and leaders in creating learning environments that are equitable, effective, and engaging for all students. Their approach blends scholarly insight with classroom relevance, helping educators implement lasting change rooted in research and real-world practice.