Welcome to my online teacher portfolio!
I have a B.A. in Theatre Arts and a certification in K-6 General Elementary and K-12 Theatre Arts from Roanoke College in Salem, VA, which was recently named in the Princeton Review as one of the best undergraduate institutions in the Southeast. I student taught in Kindergarten and secondary theatre and taught elementary in Charlotte, NC for two years. I have experience working with nearly every grade level and in a variety of different capacities. My sophomore year, I interned with a 7th grade English class and a 2nd grade class in an urban setting. I worked with students in groups or on an individual basis and assisted the teachers in other classroom activities. I became very active in my college’s multicultural society and Best Buddies program, an organization that pairs college students with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in order to create friendships between individuals with and without disabilities. I also volunteered with the local Head Start program, working one-on-one and in small groups with low income pre-school age children. During my senior year, I acted as the assistant forensics coach for the local high school, helping to select materials and train students in their chosen categories.
Upon graduating, I began volunteering at the Roanoke Rescue Mission’s Women’s and Children’s shelter. I took a job as the assistant program coordinator for an after school program serving at-risk inner city middle schoolers. I was asked to help develop several curriculum programs on a variety of subjects including self-esteem and money management. That summer, I worked at a summer camp sponsored by that same after school program in connection with TAP and Dumas Drama Guild as the campers went through the process of putting on a play. I led improvisational activities with children who were not currently performing on stage and gave notes to students after rehearsal. After working a year with this program, I returned to school to complete the necessary coursework to receive my teaching licensures.
I am currently working as the director of the Community Youth Program, working with high risk elementary and middle school students.
During my time working with CYP, we have served children with diverse needs such as hearing impairment, behavioral and emotional disorders, and Asperger’s Syndrome among others. Throughout my tenure, CYP has expanded to serve 20% more students, doubled the number of volunteers, added a summer program, and acquired funds for a science and technology program. Although I have very much enjoyed my time with CYP and the wonderful families I have had the opportunity to get to know, my heart belongs in the classroom and I am very much looking forward to returning to it.
I am currently seeking a teaching position near friends and family within the Dallas or Austin metro areas in the state of Texas.