Dr. Shanna Opfer
Associate Professor of Education, Elementary Education Director, Janet Cramer Endowed Professor
402-643-7219 Shanna.Opfer@cune.eduThom Leadership Education Center 214B
2017 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award Recipient
Dr. Shanna Opfer is an Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Elementary Education program. This role allows her to share her passion for education as she equips future elementary teachers with research-based skills and instructional strategies, Christ-centered teaching dispositions and joyful enthusiasm for their vocation. One of her favorite parts about her role at Concordia University, Nebraska is seeing the growth and development of her students as they progress during the program and then flourish in their careers and ministries in the church and world.
She earned a B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education and Lutheran Teaching Diploma from Concordia Nebraska and began her career teaching in grades 4-6 while she also earned her M.A. in Elementary Administration from Concordia. In 2020 she earned a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Learning, Instruction and Innovation from Walden University, studying the factors that influence the student-centered technology practices of elementary teachers.
Dr. Opfer enjoys sharing her expertise by presenting at conferences and leading professional development. Her favorite topics include differentiated instruction, assessment, faith-focused classroom leadership and technology integration.
She lives in Seward with her husband Jamie whom she met when they both attended Concordia in the ’90s. They have three children who give them great joy! She enjoys reading, gardening, small group bible study, leading youth events at church and taking part in mission work.
“I am passionate about equipping future educators with research-based instructional strategies, Christ-centered teaching dispositions and joyful enthusiasm for their vocation.”
Dr. Shanna Opfer
Dr. Shanna Opfer's Academic Programs
Undergraduate
Elementary Education
As an elementary educator, you are certified to teach children in kindergarten through sixth grade. You will typically spend the day with the same group of students, teaching them foundational skills in a wide variety of subjects. The liberal arts education you will receive at Concordia University, Nebraska, along with subject-specific methodology courses in the education department, will prepare you to be an outstanding elementary school teacher.
Middle Level Education
The middle level education program at Concordia Nebraska connects theory with practice to prepare graduates to teach grades 5 through 9 in both self-contained and departmentalized classrooms. As a middle level education major, you will choose from among math, science, social sciences and language arts and have the opportunity to add a second subject from those or Spanish, physical education and ELL/ESL, allowing your passion for teaching to connect with your subject-area passions, which you can share with your students.