Bridget K. Hamre, Ph.D.
Bridget K. Hamre, Ph.D., is Research Associate Professor in the Curry School of
Education and Associate Director of University of Virginia’s Center for Advanced Study of
Teaching and Learning (CASTL). Dr. Hamre’s areas of expertise include student–teacher
relationships and classroom processes that promote positive academic and social development
for young children, and she has authored numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts on
these topics. This work documents the ways in which early teacher–child relationships are
predictive of later academic and social development and the ways in which exposure to
high-quality classroom social and instructional interactions may help close the achievement
gap for students at risk of school failure.
Dr. Hamre leads efforts to use the CLASS™ tool as an assessment, accountability,
and professional development tool in early childhood and other educational settings. Most
recently, she was engaged in the development and testing of interventions designed to
improve the quality of teachers’ interactions with students, including MyTeachingPartner
and a 14-week course developed for early childhood teachers. Dr. Hamre received her
bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s degree and
doctorate in clinical and school psychology from the University of Virginia.