Jo Cleland taught and held adminstrative positions in public schools for 23 years. She joined the education faculty of Arizona State University in 1989 and retired at the end of 2001. Her vita records her 64 presentations at local, state, national, and international conferences, 28 journal articles, eight chapters in professional books, contributions to a reading series, a readers theater book and collections of scripts.
In retirement, she has written 42 children’s books, continues to participate in grant projects, presents at conferences, visits classrooms to share her love of reading and does a variety of community volunteer work. In her spare time, she returns to her musical roots, performing with orchestras and chamber groups.
Cleland’s favorite saying is this: What we learn with delight we never forget!