La Croix, Leslie

PhD, George Mason University
Assistant Professor
Early Childhood Education

George Mason University
Fairfax Campus
Thompson Hall 1203
4400 University Dr.
MS 4C2
Fairfax, VA 22030

View Leslie La Croix's curriculum vitae in PDF format.

Dr. La Croix is an Assistant Professor in the Early Childhood Education Program in College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Dr. La Croix holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from James Madison University with a Minor in Early Childhood Education. She began her teaching career as a first- and third grade integrated language arts and social studies teacher in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. During that time, she completed a Masters of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction at McDaniel College. Dr. La Croix completed her Doctorate of Philosophy in Education with a specialization in Literacy and a secondary concentration in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education at George Mason University. Prior to joining the faculty at Mason, Dr. La Croix facilitated methods and curriculum courses for McDaniel College, Towson University, and St. Mary’s College. 

Dr. La Croix’s research is focused on examining the instructional practices that support inservice and preservice teachers’ understandings of diverse young learners and their families. Current projects explore

·      Promoting preservice teachers’ understandings of instructional writing practices for young authors, and

·      Examining preservice and inservice teachers’ incorporation of diverse assessment practices for young children from culturally, linguistically, and socio-economically diverse backgrounds 

La Croix, L., Yun, S., Kidd, J. K., Burns, M. S., & Nasser, I. (in press). Assessing diverse young children. Using the LEARN Framework to Make Intentional Teaching (IT) Work in Early Childhood Classrooms. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

La Croix, L., Kidd, J. K., Burns, M. S., & Nasser, I. (in press). Linking assessment with curriculum and instruction. Using the LEARN Framework to Make Intentional Teaching (IT) Work in Early Childhood Classrooms. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

Kidd, J. K., Burns, S. M., La Croix, L., & Cossa, N. (2014). Prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers in high-poverty schools speak about young children’s authoring (and we need to listen). ejournal of Literacy and Social Responsibility, 7.

Parsons, S. A., Malloy, J. A., Vaughn, M., & La Croix, L. (2014). A longitudinal study of literacy teacher visioning: Traditional program graduates and Teach For America corps members. Literacy Research and Instruction, 53, 134-161. doi:10.1080/19388071.2013.868561

• School of Education
• Division of Child, Family, and Community Engagement
• Early Childhood Education

• Advanced Internship in Education (EDUC - 994)
• Integrating Social Studies Across the Content Areas for Diverse Young Learners (ECED - 513)
• Early Writing: Cognition, Language, and Literacy (ECED - 812)

• Developmental Pathways of Diverse Learners, Birth-Adolescence (ECED 401)
• Developmental Pathways of Diverse Learners, Birth-Adolescence (ECED 501)
• Assessment of Diverse Young Learners (ECED 511)
• Language and Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Diverse Primary Grade Learners (ECED 512)
• Special Topics in Early Childhood Education (ECED 597)
• Frameworks for Early Childhood Education (ECED 601)
• Internship with Diverse Preschool Children (ECED 790)
• Teacher Preparation and Professional Development (ECED 803)
• Human Growth and Development (EDUC 302)
• Teacher Preparation and Professional Development (EDUC 803)
• Doctoral Internship in Education (EDUC 890)
• Independent Study for the Doctor of Philosophy in Education (EDUC 897)
• Developmental Pathways of Diverse Learners, Birth-Adolescence (EDUT 411)
• Developmental Pathways of Diverse Learners, Birth-Adolescence (EDUT 511)
• Internship in Early Childhood Education (EDUT 790)