Virginia Gryta

Professor Gryta taught in pre K to 12 classrooms for children with disabilities for 14 years. In Fall 2009, she transitioned to teacher education at Hunter College. She teaches and mentors teacher candidates in Hunter’s Special Education Department courses and in the field. She coordinates Hunter’s Adolescent Learning Lab, a yearlong course in teacher supervision and training and often teaches the courses on inclusion and instructional technology. She has a range of experiences with different disabilities and settings having taught in hospital settings, self-contained classes, and been a co-teacher in inclusive classrooms. She was a developmental educator for early interventions services, served on academic intervention teams in schools and was responsible for professional development in assessments and interventions for reading, math, writing, and behavioral/organizational skills. She serves on the School of Education’s Assessment Committee as well as the Equity & Advocacy Committee.

• Hunter College, Childhood Special Education, MS 2010 (Summa Cum Laude)
• Boston University, Severe and Multiple Disabilities Education, BS 1998

• SPED 700 – Issues and Practices in Educating Students with Disabilities
• SPED 703 – Inclusive Instruction in General Education Classrooms for Students with Learning and Behavior Disorders
• SPED 777/772/774 – Supervised Clinical Teaching of Students with Learning Disabilities Part 1 and 2 (Learning Lab)
• SPED 780 – The Study of Learning Disabilities in Children and Adolescents
• SPED 705 – Use of Instructional Technology in the Special Education Classroom
• edTPA Weekend Workshops
• Field Supervision

Professor Gryta’s research focuses on supporting new teachers through instruction and conferencing. She’s interested in how to help teachers build sensible and well-sequenced goals and instruction based on targeted assessment and ongoing progress monitoring. From her own teaching experience, she learned that inclusive classrooms only work well when the teacher(s) have strong and reflective community building skills. Professor Gryta has a body of work in online course design and in nurturing communities of learners both in person and online. She presents on supporting teachers in their roles as co-teachers and helping to foster effective differentiated instruction in inclusive classrooms. In addition, Professor Gryta has focused scholarship on fostering anti-racist schools and educators and preparing teachers for working in inclusive classrooms. Beyond Hunter, she works with local organizations to support social skill development and friendships with students on the spectrum.