My Education Philosophy
What drives my work
Through public education I believe young people can develop their unique passions and skills, explore their shared and individual history, prepare to tackle the important issues of their time, and develop meaningful connections to others. I believe educators and their school systems must continuously improve to provide spaces where all young people can flourish.
My Experience
Instructional Coach, District of Columbia Public Schools
July 2016 - Present
In this role I support 14 math teachers of grades Kindergarten through 5th grade in math instruction including implementing the Common Core State Standards for mathematics and implementation of the Eureka Math curriculum. I managed the professional learning programs for the school since 2015 and over the following two years the school saw a 21% increase in students performing on or above grade level on the Partnership for Assessment for Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)
Teacher-Leader, District of Columbia Public Schools
July 2015 - July 2016
In this role I served as a teacher and coach. I taught one class of third grade math and coached 5 teachers in math instruction. 82% of my third graders made at least 1 year's growth and on average the class made over 1.5 year's growth in math.
Teacher, District of Columbia Public Schools
December 2009 - July 2015
I have experience teaching second, third, and fifth grades. As a teacher I designed dynamic 90-minute math blocks and 120-minute literacy blocks aligned to Common Core State Standards and the district scope and sequence. I was rated Effective or Highly Effective on DCPS' IMPACT evaluation system every year. During the 2013-14 school year I served as a mentor teacher for the University of the District of Columbia.
Program Manager, City Year
June 2008 - July 2010
In this role I managed two programs for City Year in Miami, a Saturday youth leadership program which served 100 middle school students and a civic engagement program which served 35 local organizations and engaged over 1,200 volunteers. Additionally, I developed specialized trainings for my team of 7 AmeriCorps members and co-wrote grants which raised $35,000 for our program operations.
Education
American University
June 2013 - August 2014
Master of Education with a focus on education policy and leadership.
New York University
September 2002 - May 2016
Bachelor of Arts majoring in journalism and political science.
My Skills
What I Do
Coaching
As an Instructional Coach I work with teachers as a thought partner to improve their practice. Through cycles of observations and debrief discussions I seek to support teachers as they develop skills, build content knowledge, and find joy as they provide students with high-quality classroom experiences.
Professional Development
To be a teacher means you must also be a learner. As an Instructional Coach I work to provide meaningful professional development opportunities to teachers based on their needs and passions.
Curriculum Development
I believe curriculum can serve as a spring board into great teaching. K-12 curriculum should build teacher understanding, promote joy and investigation, and be flexible in its application. I work to facilitate curriculum study for teachers and build curriculum for science addressing the Next Generation Science Standards.
Teaching
In teaching students I strive to provide elementary students with the foundational skills they need to pursue topics and ideas that spark their curiosity. Those skills are include the grade-level academic standards as well as socio-emotional skills, creativity, and critical thinking. I measure student growth in a holistic manner using portfolios and that track progress, mastery, and student reflection.
"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all."
Douglas Adams
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