Heather Elaine Gerker

Heather Gerker, Ph.D., is an educational researcher and advocate committed to fostering inclusive environments and advancing educational equity through community engagement, research, and collaborative leadership. Her work is driven by a profound sense of justice, empathy, and passion for amplifying educator voices and connecting with communities to create impactful change. Dr. Gerker’s academic journey includes a Ph.D. in educational policy, a Master of Educational Leadership, and a Master of Early Childhood Education, complemented by an American Montessori Society Early Childhood Teaching Credential. She has spent over fifteen years in Montessori education, serving in various roles, including early childhood teacher, teacher educator, and director of a teacher education program. She is an Associate Researcher at the Center for Learner Agency Research and Action at the University of Kansas and has held positions such as Adjunct Professor and Research Methods Teaching Assistant at the University of Cincinnati and Research Associate at the Family Resiliency Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Master's Degree: Endicott College Massachusetts, 2007 (Early Childhood Education)

Bachelor of Fine Arts : University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH, 2004 (Electronic Media)

Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Credential: Northeast Montessori Institute Boston, MA, 2007 (Montessori early childhood education)

Master's Degree: University of Cincinnati 2022 (Educational Leadership)

Ph.D.: University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, 2024 (Educational Policy & Higher Education)

Peer Reviewed Publications

Gerker, H.E. (2023. ) Making Sense of Montessori Teacher Identity, Montessori Pedagogy, and Educational Policies in Public Schools.Journal of Montessori Research, , 9 (1 ) , More Information

Copeland, K. A., King, A., Ladipo, J., Bennet, D., Amsterdam, A., White, C., Gerker, H. E., &, Karbeah, J. (2024. ) Barriers to early childhood education for black families and calls for equitable solutions from a qualitative study using peer researchers and an antiracist lens. Early Childhood Research Quarterly., ,

Other Publications

Gerker, H. (2022. ) The inclusive classroom: Creating a cherished experience through Montessori. .Montessori Life, 33 (4 ) ,49

Gerker, H. E. (2022. ) Prioritizing patriotism. A book review of How to Educate a Citizen: The Power of Shared Knowledge to Unify a Nation. .Democracy and Education, 30 (1 ) ,

Poster Presentations

Gerker, H. E. (2024. ) Montessori teachers as advocates .American Montessori Society Conference, Orlando, Florida. . Conference. . Level:International

Gerker, H. E. (2023. ) Montessori pedagogy and policy in public schools: Exploring the challenges and moving toward advocacy [ .American Montessori Society Conference, Boston, MA. . Level:International

Paper Presentations

Gerker, H. E. & Kapur, S. (2024. ) Montessori teachers as advocates: Nurturing lifelong advocacy in the Montessori community .St. Louis. Conference. Level:National

Gerker, H. E. (2024. ) Classroom assessment perspectives from Montessori education: A panel discussion of educators from birth to high school .Chicago, IL. Conference. Level:National

Murray, A. K., Daoust, C., Murray, A., & Gerker, H. E. (2024. ) Developing an observational measure of Montessori implementation .Philadelphia, PA. Conference. Level:International