EDUCATION

PHD: UCONN, 1996, Educational Psychology/Cognition & Instruction

MMUS: UMASS, 1969, Performance & Pedagogy

BA: 1967, UMASS, Education

RECENT PROFESSIONAL WORK

2012-Present: Executive Director,

The Peaceful Educator Foundation http://www.the-peaceful-educator.com/

2006-2012: Prof. of Psychology/Human Development, Greenfield Community College (Dept. Chair, 2011-12).

NARRITIVE

Dr. John McDonnell Tierney  (aka “Jack”) holds advanced degrees in music (UMASS) and educational psychology (UCONN) and has held full time college and university faculty positions in both fields over a forty-five year career in education, thirty-eight in Higher Ed. A former senior consultant to the Connecticut Department of Education, John was a popular presenter and workshop leader who infused music and humor with solid communication and presentation skills.

Dr. Tierney retired in 2012 from Greenfield College in Massachusetts where he served as Chair of Social Sciences, Professor of Human Development and Faculty Advisor to the Peace and Social Justice Club. He also served on the Board of the Traprock Center for Peace and Social Justice. Shortly after retiring, John established The Peaceful Educator Foundation [www.the-peaceful-educator.com] a 501c3 non-profit where he now serves as Director and principle creative contributor. 

EXPERIENCE PORTOFOLIO

Director of Bands, Amherst MA Public Schools, 4 years
Director of Bands, Amherst MA Public Schools, 4 years
Associate Professor, Greater Hartford Community College, 16 years Doctoral Fellow, UCONN (Residency, 1995-96)

Director of Multimedia Instructional Materials Development Center and Distance Learning Initiatives, CT Dept. of Ed/Special Ed. Resource Center.-4 years
Instructor, Holyoke Community College, 1 year
Visiting Prof/Doctoral Fellow positions: UCONN, University of Hartford, Mass College of Liberal Arts, et.al.

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

Dr. Tierney’s practice is informed by theories and philosophical foundations underlying: situated cognition, cognitive apprenticeship, authentic learning, distributed knowledge, multiple representations of knowledge, developmental differences, and cultural sensitivity, to mention a few.

CONTACT

Email: drjohntierney@gmail.com

Website: www.the-peaceful-educator.com