Objective
I strive to help each student reach his or her potential in the classroom. My teaching focuses on the promotion of critical thought, analytical writing, and collaboration. I utilize missional thinking to ensure that student outcomes are a primary focus when developing curriculum.
Education
Certification & Endorsements
Secondary Education 6-12
Social Studies (RX) Geography (CB) Educational Technology (NP) Fall 2013 |
Professional Experience
International Academy East, Troy, MI- August 2011 to Present
IB History, World Studies & Spanish Culture Teacher Design and implement units of study with awareness of state standards in concert with departmental colleagues Prepare units of study which utilize missional thinking and constructivist approaches to create lessons that use technology in ways that help students construct meaning of the world around them Highlight the use of historical thought and build lessons that ask students to analyze primary documents within the IB source analysis format Prepare lessons that are designed to connect with auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners Organize units which utilize simulations as insightful pieces for student analysis and reflection Lead students as the sophomore class advisor Emphasize critical thinking skills through the use of thought provoking questions and scenarios Employ numerous reading strategies such as graphic organizers and KWL charts Assess students with the use of Socratic seminars, classroom discussions, acting, and drawing activities Create units of study using the MYP Technology Design Cycle that focus on student research, presentation, and reflection Utilize common assessments, and the data that they provide, to create lessons and units that help to create specialized curriculum for individual students and classes as a whole |
Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northeast, Pontiac, MI- July 2011 to August 2011
Summer School Social Studies Instructor Developed mini-lessons that focused on core concepts in Civics, Economics, U.S. and World History Monitored students and modified curriculum based upon individual student needs Conducted classes through the use of online E2020 software |
Lake Orion High School, Lake Orion, MI- August 2010 to June 2011
Social Studies Teacher Constructed lessons that analyzed current world events to help students gain a deeper understanding of concepts in world history, American history, and economics Employed Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design to construct units with concise learning objectives Operated an online learning environment using the Moodle platform |
Teaching Related Experience
MSU Center for Teaching and Technology, East Lansing, MI- August 2007 to May 2009
Technology Intern in Education Facilitated the integration and use of technology in the classrooms of faculty and graduate students Taught workshops on various instructional technologies such as SMART boards, Geotagging, and Movie creation Worked closely with other interns to monitor and trouble shoot the use of classroom technology for faculty members with a wide variance in technological skill Trained other faculty and staff in the use of new and emerging technologies in the field of education |
Practicum Experience
Jeannette Junior High 7th Grade Geography, Sterling Heights- August 2009 to April 2010
Constructed activities, lessons and units which focused on physical geography, human culture and history as it pertains to 7th grade Eastern Hemisphere Studies and one unit in 9th grade World History Coordinated with parents and counseling staff to institute the use of modifications and accommodations to help students succeed Instituted the use of a class website to help facilitate connections between school and home |
Haslett Middle School 8th Grade American History, Meridian Twp, MI- September 2008 to April 2009
Taught lessons on the Constitutional Convention and the American Revolution Helped lead whole class activities as well as small group projects |
Hill Alternative High School 10th and 11th Grade History, Lansing, MI- September 2007 to December 2007
Observed classroom management in a large alternative high school Worked individually with socioeconomically challenged students and students of various races and ethnicities Co-taught a SMART board lesson on the slave trade |
Extra-Curricular Activities
Model United Nations Advisor, International Academy East, Troy, MI- August 2011 to Present
Provide guidance to student board members when planning membership meetings Organize multiple day conference trips for up to sixty students |
MYP Teacher Leader- August 2013 to Present
Organize and present professional development opportunities for faculty members across three campuses Attended MYP training and learned how the program can improve student outcomes |
Professional Development
Lake Orion High School and International Academy East Professional Development- Various Dates
IB Category 2 History (Route 2) Training- Three day conference at Rice University. Best of MACUL Conference- Attended sessions on UDL, Emerging Web Tools, and Blended Learning IB Training- Learned how to utilize the MYP and DP programs to foster student growth Developing Theory of Knowledge PD activities using Moodle to foster cross-curricular teaching Moodle 2.0- Co-taught a PD that focused on the new services provided in Moodle 2.0 RTI- Discussed classroom practices that help all students learn effectively in the classroom Moodle, Google Apps- Used Google apps and Moodle to help students collaborate on assignments Differentiated Instruction- Analyzed and discussed various teaching strategies that can be utilized to help reach all types of learners Pearson Inform- Used Pearson Inform to collect and analyze state and local student assessment data |
Professional Activities
Education Technology Conference, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI- Fall 2007, Fall 2008
Taught a workshop discussing the classroom use of Flickr and Picnik to help facilitate long distance learning Led a workshop on the use of Google Earth as a collaborative learning tool in English and Social Studies classrooms Attended workshops which focused on the use of SMART boards, movie creation, and Blackboard |