Welcome to my Professional Page
My Teaching Philosophy : Each student is an individual, and my goal is to set up my teaching environment in order to help each student no matter what there abilities or disabilities. I want to teach to the learning style of each student and differentiate instruction where needed. I strongly encourage suggestions and support of parents who know there child better than anyone, and I will be keeping in close contact with them through newsletters and phone calls.
Career and Job Goal: My goal is to make learning fun for my students and to use various strategies that will help them to better understand and retain concepts.
My Previous Education: I was homeschooled from kindergarten through 12th grade, and I began taking classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) in high school. I went on to receive my associate of science degree in special education at KVCC, and now I am working toward my bachelor of science degree in March 29, 2006n is to graduate from WMU in the Spring of 2007. At that time I will have indorcements in and be able to teacher students with cognitive impairments (K-12), students with learning disabilities (K-12), general education all subjects (K-5), and general education English (K-8).
My Work Experiences: I began working in middle school and have had experience working in two greenhouses and two tea rooms. For the past four years I have been employed at Croyden Avenue School, which is a school for students with disabilities, and have had the opportunity to work in three classrooms for students with severe cognitive impairments. The students in these classrooms range in age from 3-13. The experiences I have at Croyden include running learning group at which time I assist the students in making choices between various play items, help the students perform actions to songs, work on fine motor tasks, and read stories. Throughout the day I work with the students to help them communicate and play appropriately; take the students on walks; possition the students in stand up tables to help them gain strength in their legs; set students up in active learning where they explore their environment; provide tactile, visual, and vestibular stimulation for the students; use hand-over-hand to help students to feed themselves; take students on Community Based Instruction (CBI) where we go to places like the store, the bowling allie, and the museum; and work with the students on their goals and objectives as stated in their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). This past summer I also began substitute teaching at Croyden through WSI educational staffing, which has allowed me to work with older students and young adults with disabilities.
My Unique Skills and Talents: I have been playing the flute since about 3rd grade. I played in the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra for two years in high school and was in the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Quintet for one of those years. Currently I play the flute in the Kalamazoo Concert Band where I have been playing for the past four years.
Hobbies and Volunteer Experiences: I enjoy scrapbooking, taking walks on the Kal-Haven Trail, playing with my kittens, traveling, going to Christian conferences, church activities, jewelry making, and spending time with friends and family. I volunteered in the preschool classroom at Croyden Avenue School for several months before I began working there. For one season I was a part of the Soccer Buddy program for individuals with disabilities. Here I ran the soccor field with my assigned child and encouraged him or her to run and kick the ball. I was a teacher at the Friendship Club for individuals with disabilities at Westwood Christian Reformed Church in Kalamazoo for three years. Here I worked primarily with one individual at a time, and I sat with him or her during the Bible lesson and worked one-on-one with him or her to reinforce the Bible lesson by doing a worksheet or craft. These volunteer opportinities gave me an even stronger desire to persue special education as a career.
ISTE Technology Standards I have Accomplished
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Links to visit:
WMU Homepage
College of Education Homepage
EDT 3470 Homepage
This will get you to the WMU Homepage
Last Updated:
March 29, 2006
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