Atena Danner Email & Phone Number

Evanston, Il, Us

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Chicago, Il

Provide training and coaching to educators to deepen and expand their literacy instruction practices and systems of instructional leadership.

Atena O. Danner is a poet, author, speaker, singer and more. As a cultural worker, she imagines Black liberation engaged in boundless curiosity. Her first poetry collection, ‘Incantations for Rest’ is a recipient of a silver Nautilus Book Award.

Evanston, Illinois, United States

Guide school-based teams in Evanston and Chicago through ideation and planning of a major hyper-local equity advancement project; Provide coaching, technical assistance; Support teams in operating according to NSE’s frameworks, prioritizing an antiracist lens.; Provide training and coaching toward anti-racist group dynamics and communication practices.

Provided coaching, technical assistance, and program support to classrooms at 10 Head Start sites with culturally diverse staff teams and families; Engage with other departments as anadvocate for teachers and education program priorities in spaces where teachers are not represented. Designed systems to support teacher effectiveness in implementing curricula and appropriate assessment of children’s learning and development; Supported teachers as-needed in the use of online child assessment tools, corresponding hardware/software, and preparation for interrater reliability testing. Interim lead teacher in Head Start PreK; lesson-planning and curriculum-based teaching; facilitated screening and assessment of learning and development of 3 - 5 year olds.

Chicago, Illinois

Guide early childhood educators in developing more effective classroom interactions using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) tool; provide team-based coaching using a CLASS lens. Promote strong emotional support, classroom organization and instructional support practices with teacher observation, ongoing classroom-based coaching, and video-based (MyTeachingPartner, Teachstone) coaching.

Chicago, Illinois

Help children see, experience and reflect the unfolding beauty of the Universe through the lens of faith-based values. Use books, curricula, performance, community-building, parent-involvement, and congregational education to achieve this goal. Help adult members and attendees to understand and respect the spiritual needs and considerations of the church's youngest visitors and community members.

Managed operations and staff supervision of a city and state licenced, NAEYC and ECERS (3 Star) accredited preschool/family support program; Built relationships with families served, and connected them to resources and opportunities; Engaged with local alderman’s office and Chicago Park District to demand equitable maintenance of Goldberg Playlot; supported mobilizing neighbors as an organizational sponsor for playground improvement project.

Supervise teaching and support staff for 6 classroom child care center; review lesson plans and team meeting notes for appropriate content; ensure compliance with NAEYC, NECPA accreditation standards; ensure center maintains high quality environments based on ECERS and ITERS guidelines; provide technical assistance to teachers based on guidelines and standards of NAEYC, NECPA and ERS; maintain proper adult to child ratios in all classrooms; maintain documentation for Healthy Start food program; record attendance for preschool and grade school, provide administrative support for main office of both schools.

Use a variety of measurement and tracking tools to support early childhood education providers in maintaining quality standards as defined by the Illinois State Board of Education; Facilitate best practices - including standards-based, intentional instruction and child-led learning - in preschool classrooms; Provide resources, materials, and training opportunities to assist early childhood education providers in getting preschool children ready for success in future schooling (academic and social-emotional), as well as supporting their families and enhancing their community networks.

Serve as a resource to interpret published curriculum and assessment tools, write work plans and timelines for curriculum implementation and child assessment, and measure curriculum implementation and children’s learning.

Assist Director of Faith Development (DFD) in choosing, organizing and implementing age-appropriate curricula for youngest children in Lifespan Faith Development program (ages 3–6 years); Function as Spirit Play Curriculum Trainer; Provide ongoing program support to DFD and Spirit Play Coordinator.

Provide one-on-one tutoring to graduate-level students assigned to the Erikson Institute Writing Program: Support students in developing comprehensive understanding of child development theory relevant to current coursework; Assist students in improving skills in grammar, coherence and organization of compositions; Help otherwise competent graduate students gain the technical writing abilities that allow them to succeed in the rigorous academic culture of the renowned Erikson Institute.

Provided support to classroom teachers and program director in a ChildrenFirst back-up child care facility which had recently been merged with Bright Horizons, developing projects for curriculum implementation and advancement: translated theme-based curriculum lesson plans into the 'World at Our Fingertips' emergent curriculum format specific to Bright Horizons for teachers; assisted teachers in creating lessons based on Anti-Bias Curriculum goals and objective; developed an anti-bias resource library for teacher resource room; redesigned daily child activity reports to fit the 'Passport' model specific to Bright Horizons curriculum materials - my design was implemented in centers across the midwest district.

Through home visitation and relationship-based caseload management, provided intensive direct service to low-income, high-need pregnant women and parents of young children including: - Pregnancy, lactation and early childhood development education - Case management services - Developmental screenings for infants and toddlers (Ages & Stages, Denver II) - Connecting families with needed social service resources and referrals - Development and facilitation of parent-child and parent-to-parent group activity promoting family health and fitness. - Engaged in extensive professional development to maintain current knowledge of relevant research and practices in the fields of maternal-child health and child development.

M.S., Child Development

Activities and Societies: Irving B. Harris Leadership Fellow

Bachelor Of Fine Art, Art Making

Activities and Societies: Served on Student Government, Nia (the black student union), and as a Resident Advisor. Also worked extensively.