I hold a B.A. in Liberal Studies--Teacher Education. I have had 7 years' experience working with students in elementary school and middle school as a: full-time volunteer, substitute teacher, teaching assistant, afterschool tutor, and lead teacher--for all Grades K-8, in San Francisco public and private schools. In all my positions as an educator, I enjoy showing students the beauty and artistry behind the academic concepts they are learning. By approaching the instruction through a call-and-response methodology--in which I ask students questions pertaining to the academic content at hand by relating what they are learning to elements of every-day life--be it their own, or the outside world in general, and having them draw their own comparisons and realizations. I also promote academic creativity by encouraging students to connect what they are learning to their own individual interests, and seeing if they make any fascinating discoveries as they take in new knowledge through hands-on experience. Above all, I emphasize the importance of correlating elements of different academic core subjects to help widen the spectrum of overall learning, in turn enhancing student knowledge and understanding of all that they are learning.
From 2005-2008, I worked as an on-call substitute teacher in Grades 3-8 at Chinese American International School--in which I carried out lessons left by absent teachers in Grades 3-8, as well as creating and implementing my own into the routine class activities. During the 2005-2006 schoolyear, I volunteered full-time at Redding Elementary School, helping students in Grades K-5 develop their vocabulary, basic math, reading and writing skills through the usage of flashcards in reference to classwork academic exercises, as well as proctoring tests in the aforementioned subjects.
From 2008-2012, I served the following roles as a full-time educator at St. Johns School: Teaching Assistant in Grades 1-3 and 6-8--in which I assisted lead teachers in the planning and carrying out of academic lessons in all core subjects on a daily basis, assisted students one-on-one and in small groups with-, as well as leading full-class lessons in reading, writing, English, Social Studies, Science, and math classwork assignments. I also took the regular lead as a geography teacher in Grades K-5--creating and executing an academic curriculum in association with the social studies curriculums for each grade level, complete with lesson plans, quizzes, and classwork--containing worksheet maps, projected transparencies, and educational media, with consistent student participation as an underlying premise. In 2011-2012, also at St. Johns, I held the role of Middle School Lab Assistant--in which I prepared weekly science lab experiments (Earth Science for 6th Grade, Physical Science for 7th Grade, Life Science for 8th Grade) using school-supplied materials as well as related external supplies, and led students in the step-by-step process of carrying them out. In 2009 and 2012, I was the coach of the English and Current Events Teams in the CYO Academic Decathlon for middle school students at St. Johns School. In addition, I created and lead routine lessons in United States and World History for Grades 6-8 at St. Johns School--consisting of world and United States geography prepared with similar materials to those used in the elementary grades (albeit at a more advanced age-appropriate academic level), test preparation through oral vocabulary exercises and proofreading of practice essays, and class discussions based on content from textbook chapters. During all four of my years, I provided biweekly afterschool tutoring to students in Grades K-8 in the subjects of: Math, Reading and Writing/English (paragraphs for students in Grades K-5, essays in Grades 6-8, reading comprehension for all grades), and Science for Grades 6-8--in small groups and through one-on-one instruction at the school itself. I also taught students of all grade levels basic computer skills (typing, internet research, and printing documents and images) through the usage of school laptops and printers.
My level of flexibility, reliability, dependability, professionalism, organization, and student-oriented practice is very consistent in its output. I have worked with students who have special needs when it comes to learning all throughout my career as an educator--with a proven track record of success in helping them progress academically by helping them improve their basic study skills and organization. My vast experience working with children ages 5-14, in Grades K-8, in the classroom, has allowed me to carry over the instruction to one-on-one environments.
In October 2012, I had the honor of getting my very first book published--adding "Professional Writer" to my literary accomplishments and qualifications.
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