About

Erik began teaching in 1994. Since then, he has enjoyed working with other educators to design and implement engaging, challenging, and meaningful learning experiences for students. While he has taught at both the high school and college levels, he has spent most of his career at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane, where he teaches English and, occasionally, French. Additionally, as a consultant for ASCD and Jay McTighe & Associates, he has provided professional development across the United States by collaborating with schools and districts to help them reach their educational goals. His work in the classroom was featured in Moving Forward with Understanding by Design (2007), and he has been a guest blogger for ASCD’s In-Service (2021).

Erik’s work with The College Board, moreover, includes assessing and aligning standards for pre-AP and AP English, co-authoring materials for College Ed (2010), and serving as co-chair for the AP English Literature and Composition Development Committee. He edited and co-authored the Curriculum Module Developing Analytical Skills through Poetry (2012) and has worked as an item writer for the AP English Literature and Composition exam.

Erik earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga University.

Publications and Current Research

In January 2024, Rowman & Littlefield (now part of Bloomsbury) published Erik's book, Toward Self-Directed Learning in the Secondary Classroom, which explores the challenges and successes educators have experienced while trying to implement self-directed learning in their classes.

Watch this brief video introducing the concept of self-directed learning and how it is explored in the book.

Watch this video to consider how to align your grading practices with self-directed learning.

Ways to purchase the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite independent bookstore such as Powell's or Auntie's.

Erik's article on the experiences teachers faced while teaching online during the pandemic was published by ASCD's blog, In-Service (April 2021).

Erik has also been fortunate to contribute to various texts for College Board, specifically for their AP English Literature and Composition course.

A couple of exciting conference presentations reflect Erik's recent research:

Erik's co-authored study on video games and literary study was presented in October 2025 at the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (CHI Play) by Professor Shamima Yasmin of Eastern Washington University.

In November 2025, Erik presented his work on aligning grading with self-directed learning at the 8th International Self-Directed Learning Conference in Hartbeespoort, South Africa.

Contact

Email Erik at eriknpowell@gmail.com.

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