John Traynor, Ph.D.

Professor, Teacher Education

Dr. John Traynor is an Assistant Professor at Gonzaga University in the Department of Teacher Education where he specializes in the Foundations of Education, Teaching in the Middle School and Jesuit Education. John received his B.A. from the University...

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Dr. John Traynor

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Education & Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D., Culture Studies and Social Thought in Education, Washington State University

M.I.T., Endorsements: Social Studies, History, Political Science, Seattle University

B.A., Political Science, University of Washington

Dr. John Traynor is an Assistant Professor at Gonzaga University in the Department of Teacher Education where he specializes in the Foundations of Education, Teaching in the Middle School and Jesuit Education. John received his B.A. from the University of Washington in Political Science, went on to receive his Masters of Initial Teaching in Secondary Social Studies from Seattle University, and finally received his PhD in Culture Studies and Social Thought in Education from Washington State University. Prior to coming to Gonzaga, John taught for nine years as a high school social studies teacher. John is an avid outdoorsman with passions for skiing, biking and fly fishing.

Publications

  • Traynor, J., Tully, T. (2019) Discovering Together, Teacher College Record. 121 (12), 1-34
  • Terai, T, Takai, H., Traynor, J., Alfonso, V., Kawai, M. (2019). Preliminary Survey of School Adaptation in Japan and the USA from the Healthy Youth Survey (HYS). Clinical Education, Vol 25, 57-68.
  • Napolitan, K., Traynor, J., Tully, D., Carney, J., Donnelly, S. (2019) Towards Teacher Preparation 3.0, Teacher College Record, 121 (12), 1-44
  • Crane, L., Wootton, B., Traynor, J.E. (2018). Hillyard Youth Collaborative: Year Four Program Report. Report presented to co-funders of the Community Partners for Middle School Success Program, September, 2018.
  • Traynor, J.E., Crane, L., Wootton, B. (2017). Hillyard Youth Collaborative: Year Three Program Report. Report presented to co-funders of the Community Partners for Middle School Success Program, September, 2017.
  • Traynor, J., Tully, D., Lundberg, S. (2017). Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success Year Five report. Report presented to Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, November, 2017.
  • Case, A.F., Traynor, J. (2016) Early field experience innovations to increase positive impact on K-12 students, AILACTE Journal, 13, 1-22.
  • Traynor, J.E., LeBeau, J. E., Crane, L., Wootton (2016). Hillyard Youth Collaborative: Year Two Program Report. Report presented to co-funders of the Community Partners for Middle School Success Program, September, 2016.
  • Traynor, J., Tully, D., Lundberg, S. (2016). Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success Year Four report. Report presented to Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, November, 2016.
  • Traynor, J.E., LeBeau, J.E., Crane, L., Wootton, B. (2015). Hillyard Youth Collaborative: Year One Program Report. Report presented to co-funders of the Community Partners for Middle School Success Program, September, 2015.
  • Traynor, J.E., LeBeau, J.E. (2015). John Rogers High School Alternative Discipline Initiative: Year Two Report. Submitted to Empire Health Foundation and Spokane Public Schools. July, 2015.
  • Traynor, J., Tully, D., Lundberg, S. (2015). Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success Year Three report. Report presented to Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, November, 2015.
  • Traynor, J.E., LeBeau, J.E. (2014). John Rogers High School Alternative Discipline Initiative: Year One Report. Submitted to Empire Health Foundation and Spokane Public Schools. July, 2014.
  • Traynor, J., Tully, D., Lundberg, S. (2014). Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success Year Two report. Report presented to Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, November, 2014.
  • Traynor, J., Tully, D., Lundberg, S. (2013). Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success Year One report. Report presented to Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, November, 2017.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2012). Middle School Configuration: Summary of Research. Report prepared for Spokane Public School Superintendent and School Board members. March, 2012.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2011). Secondary education in Washington State: a historical look at teaching change in a changing world. Northwest Passage: Journal of the Northwest Association of Teacher Educators, 9(1), 42-55.
  • Traynor, J.E., Cox, J. A,. Kaiser, K. (2010), Enhancing Middle School Student Experiences: Strategies to Increase the Graduation Rate in Spokane Public Schools, Final Report (June 30, 2010). Priority Spokane Educational Attainment Research Project, Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E., Cox, J. A., Kaiser, K. (2010), Enhancing Middle School Student Experiences: Strategies to Increase the Graduation Rate in Spokane Public Schools, Preliminary Report (April 30, 2010). Priority Spokane Educational Attainment Research Project, Spokane, WA.
  • Salina, C. & Traynor, J. (2009). Creating and sustaining a structured professional learning community within a catholic context. Momentum: The Journal of the National Catholic Educational Association, 40(2), 32- 35.
  • Traynor, J. E. (2006). [Review of the book Writing Her Own Life: Imogene Welch, Western Rural Schoolteacher]. Columbia: The Magazine of Northwest History, 20(2), 46-47.
  • Traynor, J. E. (2006). [Review of the book One Room Out West: The Story of the Jore School and its Students]. Columbia: The Magazine of Northwest History, 20(2), 46-47.
  • McKenna, M., Anderson, J., Traynor, J. & Pendras, M. (2004). Service-learning in teacher education: accomplishments, challenges, and promising developments. Northwest Passage: Journal of Education Practices, 3(1), 74-79.

Professional Papers Presented

National & International

  • Traynor, J., Plaxton-Moore, S. (2019, October). Lost in Translation: Barriers, Supports, and New Directions for Translating Community-Engaged Teaching into Engaged Scholarship. International Association for Research in Service Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) National Meeting. Albuquerque, NM. October 23-25, 2019.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2018, March). Discovering Together: How Two Universities Collaborated with a High Need School for Simultaneous Improvement. National Association for Professional Development Schools Conference, Jacksonville, Florida, March 15-17, 2018.
  • Cox, J., Traynor, J. (2016, October). Racist Tendencies in School Discipline Systems, Paper presented at the annual Young Child Expo and Conference. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J. E. (2016, October). Community Organizer or University Faculty Member: A collision of identities in service to one another. Paper presented at the International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) National Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
  • Traynor, J. E. (2016, October). Extended Learning Opportunities: K-12 and Teacher Educators as Synergistic Partners. Paper presented at the International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) National Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
  • Traynor, J.E., (2015, February). Dr. John Traynor (Associate Professor of Teacher Education) and Gonzaga University: A parallel history with perspectives on K-12 education. Paper presented to the Gonzaga in Florence Professional Seminar, Florence, Italy.
  • Traynor, J.E., Tully, D., Lundburg, S. (2014, March). School/University Partnerships: Utilization of a Saturation and Co-Teaching Model of Initial Teacher Training. Paper presented at Professional Development Schools National Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Regional & Local

  • Wissel, A., Traynor, J., Clary, E.*, Lundberg, S.* & Tabish, D.* (2017, March). School Counselors as Leaders: Discovering opportunities through community engagement. Washington School Counselor Association Annual Conference. Seattle, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2016, April) Identity Crisis: Faculty Member or Community Organizer? Paper presented at Intercollegiate Community Engagement Institute, Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E (2016, March). Case Study and Success Story: The Stories of Priority Spokane and the Hillyard Youth Collaborative – Partnerships for Community Good. Presentation made to the Inland Northwest Partners 2016 Spring Meeting, Hayden Lake, ID.
  • Wissel, A., Traynor, J. (2016, March). Community Partnerships: an adventure in understanding context and discovering potential. Paper presented at Washington School Counselor Association Conference, Seattle, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2011, April). Our kids...our business – priority Spokane education initiative with John Traynor. Paper presented at the Spokane City Forum April Meeting, Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2010, September). Enhancing middle school experiences: strategies to increase the graduation rate in Spokane Public Schools, Final Report. Paper presented at the Priority Spokane Educational Attainment Research Project Presentation, Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E., (2010, September). Enhancing middle school experiences: Strategies to increase the graduation rate in Spokane Public Schools: Final Report. Paper presented at the Downtown Rotary Meeting, Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E., Cox, J, Kaiser, K. (2010, May), Enhancing middle school student experiences: Strategies to increase the graduation rate in Spokane Public Schools, Preliminary Report. Paper presented at the Priority Spokane Educational Attainment Research Project presentation, Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2010, March). Building bridges to the outdoors - developing a partnership between higher education, K-12 education and community agencies to engage in the delivery of sustainability and environmental education content through service learning projects. Campus Compact Continuums of Service Conference, Portland, OR.
  • Traynor, J.E. & Carper, A. (2009, April). Standards-based assessment: The exchange of information between secondary education, pre-service teachers, and higher education. Annual OSPI/Higher Education Assessment (and Standard V) Conference, Seattle, WA.

Other Solicited Professional Presentations

  • Traynor, J.E. (2022, August). Middle School Bootcamp. Spokane Public Schools Summer Institute. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2022, August). Adolescent Development – Bok Study & Pro-D. Spokane Public Schools Summer Institute. Spokane, Wa.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2022, February). Attending to Transitions in Middle School. Spokane Public Schools Middle School Principals Conference/Workshop. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2018, October). Full Service Community School Research Summary. Shaw Middle School Campus Planning Committee. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2018, October). Athletics and Activities in Middle Level Education. Research summary presented to Spokane Public Schools Middle School Design Workgroup. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2018, October). School Culture and Environment in Middle Level Education. Research summary presented to Spokane Public Schools Middle School Design Workgroup. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2018, October). Elective Offerings in Middle Level Education. Research summary presented to Spokane Public Schools Middle School Design Workgroup. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2018, October). Core Academics in Middle Level Education. Research summary presented to Spokane Public Schools Middle School Design Workgroup. Spokane, WA.
  • Traynor, J.E. (2018, October). Research Summary: Evolution of and Key Themes in Middle Level Education. Research summary presented to Spokane Public Schools Middle School Design Workgroup. Spokane, WA.

Submitted Grants

  • Henning, B. Traynor, J. (2022). Gonzaga’s Center for Climate, Society and the Environment Climate Literacy Project. Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. One year grant awarded August 1, 2022. $130,000
  • Henning, B. Traynor, J. (2022). Integrating Climate Literacy into Pre-service Teacher Education. University of Washington Institute of Science and Mathematics. One year grant awarded June 1, 2022. $20,000
  • Henning, B. Traynor, J. (2022). Gonzaga’s Center for Climate, Society and the Environment Climate Literacy Project. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Education Grant. One year grant awarded August 1, 2022. $100,000
  • Henning, B. Traynor, J. (2021). Gonzaga’s Center for Climate, Society and the Environment Climate Literacy Project. Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. One year grant awarded August 1, 2021. $100,000
  • Wooton, B. Traynor, J. (2017). Hillyard Youth Collaborative. Spokane County United Way. Two year grant awarded July 1, 2017.
  • Traynor, J. Wootton, B. (2014). Community Partnership for Middle School Success: Hillyard Youth Collaborative. Inland Northwest Community foundation (INWCF). Three year grant awarded June 1, 2014, $400,000.
  • Traynor, J. Tully, D., Lundburg, S., Salina, C. (2013). Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success – A partnership project of Spokane Public Schools and Gonzaga and Whitworth Universities. Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). Five Year Implementation Grant Awarded July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2018 in the amount of $2,491,153
  • Traynor, J. (2012). Collaborative Schools for Innovation and Success – A partnership project of Spokane Public Schools and Gonzaga and Whitworth Universities. Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). Pilot Grant Awarded October 4, 2012 – June 30, 2013 in the amount of $438,226.
  • Traynor, J., Cox, J. A. Kaiser, K. (2010). Enhancing middle school student experiences. Inland Northwest Community/Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations. Awarded February 28, 2010. $43,000
  • Traynor, J. (2009). Sierra Club’s building bridges to the outdoors project: Gonzaga University earthbound. Awarded December 30, 2008. $15,000 awarded in support of the Earthbound Project which is a program designed to facilitate Gonzaga University students’ working with local at-risk K-12 youth in outdoor activities and service projects.

Research Interests

  • Middle School/Middle Level Learning
  • School/Community Partnerships
  • Social/Cultural Foundations of Education
  • Civic/Community Engagement