PhD in EducationSpecialization: Sociocultural & Community-Based Approaches

• Researched educator preparation programs at public and private colleges and universities nationwide to assess the quality of teacher training for NCTQ’s Teacher Prep Review.• Evaluated evidence submitted by programs, obtained through public information requests, and located via online research to determine the relevance of data to NCTQ’s rating of educator preparation programs.• Analyzed available information to ascertain alignment with NCTQ’s research-based standards and completed detailed ratings of program quality, primarily with regards to student teaching requirements.

• Designed and facilitated weekly professional development sessions on a variety of topics, including Common Core State Standards, conceptual vs. procedural teaching and learning, data analysis and targeted interventions.• Steered mathematics department to an overall increase in proficiency of approximately 62 percentage points as measured by the Discovery Education Assessment of Common Core State Standards.• Provided job-embedded coaching to assist teachers in developing classroom management, student engagement, and effective instructional delivery techniques through modeling, co-teaching, observing, and debriefing.• Analyzed formative assessment data to advise school administration on structural revisions designed to maximize effective instruction provided to all students.

• Collaborated weekly with leadership and administrative teams to debrief and address on-going needs.• Implemented coaching cycles, including observation, feedback, debriefing, planning, co-teaching, and modeling, to aid novice and veteran teachers in making both immediate and long-term improvements to their practice.• Designed and delivered both department-specific and school-wide professional development sessions on a broad range of topics, including professional learning communities, reading and writing strategies for content area classrooms, differentiated instruction, and other best practices. • Coached teachers in the execution of “Teach Like a Champion” strategies identified by administrators as areas of improvement through the informal and formal evaluation processes.• Provided ongoing training and coaching on the incorporation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as part of a blended curriculum in preparation for full implementation of CCSS in the 2014-2015 school year.

• Completed two-year Teach for America commitment in an urban, high-needs Title I high school and elected to remain in placement school for a third year of service.• Taught in high-accountability subject areas during the improvement of the school’s grade from an ‘F’ to its first ‘A’ in school history.• Earned professional teaching certification through the completion of the Florida Department of Education’s Alternative Certification Program.• Trained colleagues in the use of detailed student mastery tracker and efficient methods for tracking mastery of standards through the implementation of common assessments.• Led students to Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) proficiency rate of 83% in 2011, surpassing school and district averages (62% and 65%, respectively).• Achieved 100% learning gains as demonstrated on Florida Algebra 1 End-of-Course (EOC) exam in 2012; 95% of students were in the bottom quartile based on previous math performance, 70% increased one or more achievement levels.• Served as Geometry lead teacher during 2012-2013 school year; organized common planning meetings, created common assessments, facilitated data analysis, and problem-solved with three other teachers.

Graduated Magna Cum Laude with Honors in English and Philosophy.

Assisted with day-to-day office tasks, such as filing, copying, and data entry. Compiled survey feedback on payment plan methods and presented findings to supervisor.

Researched news relevant to the behavioral health industry and wrote a variety of articles for on-line publication. Formatted weekly on-line newsletter in Microsoft FrontPage.