Dr. Rizzuto has worked as a classroom teacher in general and special education, a Reading Specialist for grades K-12, a Reading Recovery teacher, a staff developer, and school administrator in both New York and New Jersey. In addition to her teaching position at Monmouth University, Dr. Rizzuto has completed the Learning Disabilities Teacher-Consultant program at Monmouth University and the doctoral program in educational leadership at Rowan University. Dr. Rizzuto teaches the early childhood program courses, in the literacy program as well as in the administration and supervision program. Her research interests include developing social justice dispositions in pre-service teachers and developing culturally responsive pedagogical practices.

Education

Ed.D, Rowan University

Scholarly Articles

•  Rizzuto, K. C., Steiner, L. M. & Zambak, V. S. (2025). The effects of a music and movement program on the phonemic awareness skills on emergent multilanguage learners. International Journal of Multilingual Education, 26(1), 55-71.
• Zambak, V. S., Steiner, L. M. & Rizzuto, K. C. (2025). A parental involvement program: Facilitating parental scaffolding with literacy strategies to support students’ mathematical skills. Discover Education. (4)274, 1-25.
• Steiner, L. M., Rizzuto, K. C. & Zambak, V. S. (2025). Promoting children’s achievement in mathematics using literacy strategies. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 13(2), 132145.
• Rizzuto, K. C., Steiner, L. M., & Zambak, V. S. (2024). Using literacy strategies to assist parents with Common Core mathematical practices. Research on Preschool and Primary Education, 2(1), 53–68.
• Rizzuto, K. C., Henning, J, & Nielsen, K. (2023). Teaching children about sustainability: A constructivist approach. The International Journal of Curriculum and Learning Development, 3(1), 1-12.
• Rizzuto, K. C. (2022). bell hooks and picture books: Equity in early childhood education. Early years: An International Research Journal, 42(3), 161-172.
• Rizzuto, K. C. & Steiner, L. M. (2022). Creating safe spaces for all children: Transactional read alouds in the early childhood classroom. School Community Journal, 32(1),187-200. 
• Steiner, L. M., Hindin, A. H. & Rizzuto, K. C. (2021). Developing children’s literacy learning through skillful parent-child shared book reading. Early Childhood Education Journal. 50(2), 539-553. DOI:10.1007/s10643-021-01170-9   
• Rizzuto, K. C. (January, 2018). Developing academic vocabularies for early childhood English Language Learners through shared reading. The California Reader, (51)2, 12 -12
• Rizzuto, K. (2017). Teachers’ Perceptions of ELL Students: Do Their Attitudes Shape Their Instruction? The Teacher Educator , 52:3, 182-202, DOI: 10.1080/08878730.2017.1296912
• Carley-Rizzuto, K., Henning, J.E., & Duckett, C. (2017). Bee pollination. In Judith Bazler and Meta Van Sickle (Eds.). Cases on STEAM Education in Practice , pp. 164-182. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Book Chapters

• Rizzuto, K. C., Henning, J., Duckett, C., & Nielsen, K. (July 2019). Bee pollination. J. Bazler & M. Van Sickle (Eds.), Case Studies in STEAM Education (2nd ed). IGI Global.   
• Caliendo, M., Rizzuto, K. C. &. (November 2022). Hermione as the hero: Using empathy and connection to save the wizarding community and educate the wizard’s ego. In Eckard, S. & Romagnoli, A., (Eds.), The human in superhuman: The power of the sidekick in popular culture (pp. 125-127). Lexington Books.  

Peer-Reviewed Conferences

• Zambak, V. S., Steiner, L., & Rizzuto, K. C. (2024, July). Facilitating parents’ math involvement with a literacy program. Poster presented at the 15th International Congress of Mathematical Education. Sydney, Australia.     
• Rizzuto, K. C., & Steiner, L.M. (2023). Using music and movement in the early childhood classroom. Paper presented at the National Association for the Education of Young Children 2023 Conference. Nashville, TN.     
• Rizzuto, K. C., Zambak, S. V. & Steiner, L. M. (2023, April). Derridean theory, math, and literacy: A program for parents. Roundtable session. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association 2023 Conference. Chicago, IL.    
• Steiner, L. M, Rizzuto, K. C., & Zambak, V. S. (2023, April). Parents as partners: Supporting children’s mathematical problem-solving through literacy strategies. Roundtable session. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association 2023 Conference. Chicago, IL. 
•  Zambak, V. S, Steiner, L. M., & Rizzuto, K. C. (2023, April). Parents learning mathematics: Facilitating parental scaffolding and students’ skills through a literacy-focused program. Poster presented at the American Education Research Association 2023 Conference. Chicago, IL.  
•  Rizzuto, K. C.  & Steiner, L.M. (2022). Using transactional reading with multilingual students. A paper accepted to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). 2023 Conference. Orlando, FL   
• Steiner, L. M. & Rizzuto, K. C.  (2022). It all adds up: Using mathematics to support literacy instruction. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Literacy Research Association 2022. Phoenix, Arizona.