Knowledgeable in reading, leadership and educational history, Mary Lou Ederer, EdS, often saw children that couldn’t read and felt like she needed more information to figure out the way they learned. After working with them, she realized that children needed individualized help. Thus, she has made it a mission throughout her career to make herself available to children as a helpful resource who would always accept them. Ms. Ederer began her career as a teacher at Shields Elementary School in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1960, remaining in this position for 40 years. She also taught reading, consulted and was a Title I coordinator with Swan Valley Schools from 1967 to 1971. She further served the district as principal of Robert B. Havens Elementary School from 1971 to 1999 and director of Scooby Doo Pre-School from 1983 to 1999.
In preparation for her professional career, Ms. Ederer pursued a formal education at Bay City Junior College, earning an Associate of Arts in 1960. She then matriculated at Central Michigan University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in 1963. She went on to attend Michigan State University, obtaining a Master of Arts in 1966 and Specialist in Education degree in 1971. In addition to these academic honors, Ms. Ederer is a certified elementary permanent teacher and administrative professional in the state of Michigan.
Dedicated to her local community, Ms. Ederer has been a READ coordinator with the READ Association After-School Program since 1972 and active with the Covenant HealthCare Cooper Gift Shop since 2003. For seven years, she has also served the Saginaw Valley Humanities Lecture Committee as chairman, formerly serving the committee as president. Likewise, Ms. Ederer was active with the Friends of the Public Libraries of Saginaw between 2004 and 2013, during which she was president from 2007 to 2011.
In order to keep updated on trends in her field, Ms. Ederer is a life member of the National Education Association and Michigan Education Association. Additionally, she was president of the Beta Nu chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma from 1982 to 1986, from which she was awarded the Woman of Distinction Award in 1979. Ms. Ederer has also maintained involvement with many other related organizations including the Michigan Elementary-Middle Schools Principals Association, the International Reading Association, the Michigan Reading Association, the Saginaw Area Reading Council, the National Council on Teachers of Mathematics and the Michigan Council on Teachers of Mathematics.
A recipient of the Service Award from the Shields Elementary School PTA in 1967, Ms. Ederer has been listed in the 22nd edition of Who’s Who in the Midwest and the fifth and eighth editions of Who’s Who in American Education. Today, she resides in Michigan and has been known to enjoy sewing, reading, knitting and gardening in her spare time. What has continued to motivate Ms. Ederer throughout her career, besides continuing to learn, was being successful in the things she tried. The advice that she could offer the next generation, or others aspiring to work in educational administration, is that they need to have a desire to help people and the willingness to make changes if necessary in what they face.