Patricia Smolko is a Lecturer in the Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies at the University of Arizona, working in teacher preparation in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Online Masters Program. Patricia earned a BS in Elementary Education with an area of concentration in Deafness at Bloomsburg University (1985) and a Master of Science in Deaf Education, also from Bloomsburg University (1987).
Patricia started her professional career as a self-contained classroom teacher in the Elementary Department at the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) in Phoenix, Arizona. She spent more than 10 years working with elementary students from 1st grade through middle school. In addition, to her work with DHH children, young adults and families, she has provided coaching and supervisory support to DHH teachers and worked with local community outreach and after-school programs. Before starting at the University of Arizona in 2020, Patricia was the Supervising Teacher for the Desert Valley Regional Cooperative, supporting itinerant teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing.
Patricia’s years of experience working in different settings provided her with the professional knowledge and skills needed by novice teachers in a variety of related careers: early intervention providers, preschool teachers, K-12 classroom teachers in special schools, resource room teachers, and PK-12 itinerant teachers. She is passionate about creating quality teacher preparation programming, preparing new teachers for the ongoing changes occurring in special education across the US. Patricia teaches courses that provide the learner with opportunities to move from theory to practice during field experiences, practicing strategies that target language, reading, and writing development in the DHH population.
A long time resident of Arizona, Patricia enjoys time with her husband, reading, photography and travel.
