Kate Kovach Email & Phone Number

Direct/execute sales floor projects in children’s department by collaborating with management on merchandising ideas and product display, analyzing sales trends to determine most popular titles and products to highlight, assigning other booksellers to assist with tasks, and reviewing projects upon completion for effective merchandising. Provide thorough customer service with engaging/welcoming atmosphere, offering book recommendations, processing requests/orders, and ensuring department organized for optimal shopping experience. Promote joys and value of reading through community outreach - planning and conducting biweekly story times and assisting with community events. Work closely with Community Outreach Manager to organize, plan, and execute successful fundraising events for local libraries, teacher groups, and parents/students. Train new booksellers for current location and children’s department leads for other stores in district.

Taught Introduction to Education and Educational Psychology courses with a prepared, dynamic, engaged, innovative, and reflective teaching style. Courses taught three times each year with 20-30 undergraduate students in each class/offering. Coordinated with Student Services to aid students with special needs. Developed course lectures, procedures, and assessments for each course. Designed and hosted writing workshop after class hours. Assisted in selecting textbook for Education Psychology course including evaluating teaching materials from several major publishers and making recommendations to department head.Crafted all lesson plans, assignments, and exams with goal of gauging student understanding of concepts taught in course. Lesson plans utilized variety of media such as picture books, movies, and documentaries, current events, and relative case studies. Developed relationships with students through effective teaching, weekly check-ins, and other interactions, teaching techniques applicable to real life teaching situations and theories, and communication.* Initiated simulated teaching sessions placing students in realistic teaching scenarios. Each student assigned topic to teach fellow students and develop teaching style. Resulted in increased student engagement/participation and instilled pride and excitement for future.

Served as graduate research assistant to Dr. Eric Anderman. Worked on data organization and ran preliminary quantitative analysis on several large national data sets including high school motivation study. Also, completed administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, creating research group agendas, and contacting book coauthors. Mentored 10-20 graduate students on effective teaching techniques and strategies. Coordinated and produced 8-hour training session for grad students yearly.* Coauthored and won University Center for the Advancement of Teaching grant of $10,000 for use developing and facilitating program to improve teaching of graduate instructors. Grant required data analysis and reporting to UCAT yearly.* Co-investigator for year-long qualitative study on transition to middle school. Study involved interviews, focus groups, observation of teachers and students, and photo-ethnography – giving each student a camera to record experiences. Findings presented in oral and written form at national conferences.

Taught Educational Psychology to undergraduate students working toward teaching certification. Used prepared, engaged, dynamic, innovative, and reflective teaching style. Typically, 20-30 students per class with 40-60 students per week each quarter. Worked closely with Office of Disability Services to help special needs students. Given full authority and ability to craft syllabus, lessons, and assessments, as well as ability to select course resources. * Advanced learning, skills and techniques of graduate instructors through contributing PowerPoint slides and other instructional materials to supplement instructional guide of textbook frequently used by university. Contribution made at request of textbook author.* Crafted supplemental PowerPoint slides and instructional materials to accompany Instructor’s Resource Manual for Educational Psychology textbook at author’s request. Listed as contributor to new edition.* Named Graduate Teaching Fellow, for 2011 – 2012 academic year. One of 15 honored for achievements toward further education. Awarded participation in numerous professional development programs.

Utilized engaging, effective and adaptive teaching style encouraging exploration. Taught elementary level reading, writing, math, science, and social studies to fourth grader inner-city children. Managed classroom of 25 diverse students with unique learning needs. Emphasized exceeding school district standards while focusing on individual needs in school struggling to meet state standards. Worked to develop learning goals and identified appropriate accommodations in drafting IEPs necessary to assist special needs students.Integrated activities and new techniques designed to augment existing lesson presentations. Lessons based on state standards and needs of students. Utilized emerging technology in lessons including laptops and smart boards. Served as member of district wide committee charged with selecting new textbooks and curriculum resources. Developed and led after school science club, as well as participating in science fairs, school plays, concerts, and other activities. Met with students, parents, teachers, and administration when necessary to discuss student progress or discipline. Prepared classrooms for tropical storms when necessary. Member of school emergency response team.* Recognized as High Performing Teacher during 2008 – 2009 school year by South Carolina Senate. Contributing to award was student improvement on state proficiency exams with students gradually achieving 85% or higher. Accomplished through greater critical thinking and student engagement.

Master Of Arts - Ma, Edcuational Psychology, Honors: Dr. Ronald C. Rogers Scholarship Recipient

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Elementary Education, Honors: Women In Science/Engineering Leadership Award