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Who is Bethanie?

Bethanie Hamlett Tucker, Ed.D. of Danville, Virginia, has been a professional educator since 1972. She has served in a number of critical teaching and program leadership roles at the elementary school level and is currently a professor of education at Averett University in Danville. Through aha! Process, Bethanie provides training and consulting services for Tucker Signing Strategies for Reading, Understanding and Engaging Under-Resourced College Students, Emotional Poverty, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Research-Based Strategies, Motivation, and Ready for College, Ready for Careers. An experienced consultant and author, Bethanie has been with aha! Process since 2000.

Bethanie’s Credentials

Degrees

  • Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, University of Virginia
  • Master of Education, University of Virginia
  • Bachelor of Science, Averett College

Areas of Expertise

  • Coaching preservice/new teachers
  • Training in emotional well-being
  • Lived experience in all areas related to Framework and Emotional Poverty

Work History

  • Professor, Department of Education, Averett University
  • Program Director and Teacher, Halifax County Public Schools
  • Teacher, Pittsylvania County Public Schools

Books Published

  • Tucker Signing Strategies for Reading, aha! Process, 2000
  • Mr. Base Ten Invents Mathematics, aha! Process, 2002
  • The Journey of Al & Gebra to the Land of Algebra, aha! Process, 2003
  • Reading by Age Five, aha! Process, 2006
  • Understanding and Engaging Under-Resourced College Students, aha! Process, 2008
  • Research-Based Strategies (coauthor), aha! Process, 2019

Bethanie’s aha! Moment

A few months after meeting Ruby, I officially joined the aha! Process team to conduct Tucker Signing Strategies for Reading workshops. Later, after learning more about Ruby’s work in the area of poverty, I began conducting Framework workshops. More recently, I participated in the project to take Framework to the college level. My aha! moment has lasted 13 years.

Bethanie’s Passions

At the conclusion of one my first college workshops, a professor asked, “But how do we motivate our students to perform academically?” I gave him the best answer I had, but I also wanted to know more. I began researching motivation theory and strategies that same night. That was ten years ago, and I have been studying the topic ever since.

Bethanie’s Best Training

My favorite moments during K–12 or college workshops on poverty occur whenever someone says, “I’d never thought about poverty in terms of a lack of resources. I’ve tended to blame my students and their families for not trying harder. In the future I’ll think in terms of helping them to utilize and build resources.”

What does Bethanie do for fun?

My husband, William, and I enjoy creating structures that have little or no purpose. On our small farm we now have three fountains, four picnic shelters, a bunkhouse (but no cowboys), two covered bridges, and a 7-foot-tall marble monument dedicated to…the world.

What are people saying about Bethanie?

The presenter is delightfully authentic. Wow, so inspirational regarding human development and the potential of human dignity. Thank you!

Excellent presentation! Best in-service ever! It would be great to brainstorm as a district…and discuss how our district can utilize this information to teach better.

Thank you, Dr. Tucker, for your wonderful session yesterday in Appleton. I cannot even begin to express how fortunate I feel to have been in the presence of you and our other learners during your presentation of Understanding and Engaging Under-Resourced College Students.

The level of conversation was beyond my expectations, and I valued the way you imparted the information. Your data and ability to express, include, and be gracious regarding the research made this break-out session one of my favorites. Thank you.

I vow to do my utmost to serve the situation for my under-resourced students in such a way that will uphold their dignity. You will have touched my students as a result, and your message will be carried out to more of humanity than you will ever truly know.

I appreciate Dr. Tucker’s presentation style. Her strategies were taught in an easy-to-understand manner. I look forward to putting them into practice. Excellent!