Years of Experience!

I have always loved working with children. I became a nanny at the age of 12, and a camp counselor at the age of 15. In both of these early experiences, I learned the influence one can have on children, and the influence that children can have on me as well. I became a teacher in the preschool that was hosted within my high school, and was able to learn how to create lesson plans, teach short lessons, and hold parent-teacher conferences. This led me to take more education classes in college and I learned a lot more about the context of teaching. Although I graduated with a degree in Psychology, my favorite classes included "Child Development", "Learning and Memory", and "Development and Psychopathology". My psychology classes and love of education led me to an interest in special education, and I fulfilled my minor with classes such as "Classroom Management" and "Learning Disabilities".

Children with Special Needs

I have had several experiences working with children with special needs. First, I became a nanny at the age of 12 for two boys. The older brother had challenges over the years, and eventually at the age of 6, was diagnosed with Aspergers. Without realizing I had been adapting games and activities for someone with special needs for the past 5 years, I had learned how to accommodate the same material so he could have access. This was a valuable lesson for me as a teacher, because I learned that content needs to be delivered in many different ways to reach all learners. In addition, I feel strongly that the same content is accessible for all learners, as long as it is thoughtfully planned on an individual basis.

5th Grade Electricity Unit

While student teaching, I had the unique experience of planning and implementing full school days for approximately four weeks. One of the things I chose to do was teach a three week electricity unit. We studied parallel circuits, series circuits, built flashlights, and our unit culminated with the wiring of a house (shoeboxes with cardboard dividers)

5th Grade Literature/Social Studies Integrated Unit

One thing I am particularly proud of is the Explorer Unit I taught through literature. We made "story maps" (shown in picture) that included the title, setting, characters, conflicts, and outcomes of the read-aloud book, Morning Girl by Michael Dorris. While setting boundaries but allowing for much creativity, the maps turned out to be the most simple, but also a favorite part of the unit. The Explorer Unit also covered research on specific explorers, interviews from the perspective of researched explorers (equipped with a time machine made out of a dryer box), the study of similes and metaphors, and several lessons on multiple perspectives; focusing on the Native Americans living in North America.