In July of 2013, I got hired to be an 8th grade Algebra teacher at Jack Benny Middle School in Waukegan; a culturally diverse and low income school. As a first year teacher, I had received praise from my administrator for being an outstanding teacher as my students’ MAP scores had moved a significant amount by the end of the school year. For the district-wide algebra exam, my students placed amongst the top of every Algebra class in the district. I continue to try different teaching...
In July of 2013, I got hired to be an 8th grade Algebra teacher at Jack Benny Middle School in Waukegan; a culturally diverse and low income school. As a first year teacher, I had received praise from my administrator for being an outstanding teacher as my students’ MAP scores had moved a significant amount by the end of the school year. For the district-wide algebra exam, my students placed amongst the top of every Algebra class in the district. I continue to try different teaching strategies and techniques in my classroom to align my practice with up to date best practice tools such as Charlotte Danielson. I’ve implemented a lot more cooperative learning into my classroom instruction. In August of 2014, I recently took on the position of the 8th grade Team Leader. I lead our team of 8th grade teachers to make school decisions. Some of my responsibilities include facilitating our team of teachers on our daily meetings, implementing systems in the school to improve order on student behavior, planning field trips, notifying parents of students who are receiving low GPA's, making intervention plans on students who need more behavior or academic support, and relaying school vital information to the team from the administration on school wide projects. In 2017, as part of the building leadership team, I implemented systems for the school to use data to drive classroom instruction as a building-wide team. I also participated on the interview committee where I was tasked with the interviewing and hiring of math teachers for the 2017-2018 school year.
My teaching philosophy is that everyone can learn at various levels. I accomplish this through intellectual stimulation and challenge my students to think about why things are happening in mathematics rather than what is happening. I believe thinking about the why element allows students to think critically and become smarter individuals. I know that not all students learn the same way or at the same pace; so I allow each student to flourish through differentiated instruction where they face their own set of challenges that allow them to grow. I create enriching and involving activities that keep the students’ attention and it makes them want to put an effort in their work.
I graduated from Northern Illinois University during the spring of 2012 and am certified in teaching mathematics grades 6 – 12. I am a hardworking, enthusiastic, and driven individual. Combined with my teaching skills, my personality allows me to be approachable to anyone who may seek help. During my student teaching experience in spring of 2012, I had the opportunity to work in the Barrington School District and take over for a teacher who went on maternity leave for 6 weeks. I taught 2 Trigonometry classes and 2 AP calculus classes. During this time, I had all of the responsibilities of a full year teacher. My students’ assessment averages ranged between 85% - 90%. The response I got from students near the end of my term was that they wished I continued to be their teacher as these students felt like I had been their teacher all year.
I would be a great addition to your district because I have the passion required to unleash my skills in the profession of teaching and become an outstanding educator. I absolutely love teaching and know that it is a profession I was born to do. My greatest abilities are my abilities to learn, adapt, and grow. In my 5 years at Benny, I went from being a new teacher, to being a leader in making a school-wide impact to better a diverse, low-income school. I look forward to discussing my position and qualifications with you.
