2008-2009 - Grand Valley State University

COE
Achievements Faculty Awards
Grand Valley State University
Outstanding Teacher Award
Donald Pottorff | GVSU College of Education
2
Rank: Professor of Education
Teaching Areas: Reading/Language Arts
Courses Taught:
EDR 623 Literacy for Adolescents
EDR 623 Literacy for Adolescents:
Graduate Teacher Certification (GTC)
EDR 625 Literature for Adolescents
Joined GVSU COE Faculty: 1987
Degrees and Institutions Attended:
B.S., Central Mississippi State University,
elementary education
M.A., Central Mississippi State University,
elementary school administration with post-master’s
study in reading certification
Ph.D., Michigan State University, elementary
education with emphasis in K-12 reading
Expertise: Literacy diagnosis; remediation and
adolescent literature. Dr. Pottorff, a published author
and poet, is also the recipient of the:
• 2001 GVSU Pew Teaching Excellence Award
• 1999 GVSU Alumni Association Outstanding
Educator Award
• 1980 and 1987 Department of Defense
Overseas Dependent Schools Sustained
Superior Teaching Performance Award
An Uncommon Educator
Before coming to GVSU, Dr. Pottorff taught in
U.S. military schools and international schools
in Germany, Japan, South Korea and the
Philippines. In December 2008, he celebrated
43 years in education and retired from GVSU.
He plans to return to South Korea to teach
at the Taejon Christian International School.
“There they go; I must catch them
for I am their leader.”
Chinese proverb adapted and adopted by Dr. Pottorff
“Teaching has provided me the
opportunity to live and teach in
four foreign countries, to work with
colleagues and students from some
20 different nationalities and to
travel to 33 countries. Teaching has
also allowed me the opportunity to
adopt three orphaned infants from
countries where I have taught.
What other occupation could offer
such richness?”