About+Me

I began tutoring during the summer of 2010, focusing on helping kids (grades 1-10) with their reading skills including: comprehension, fluency/phonics, inference, main idea, etc. I helped several students with writing mechanics, where they learned not only about grammar, but also how to take notes successfully in high school. Furthermore, I helped students improve their math skills by practicing those skills they had trouble with and helping them with math homework during the school year. The relationships that I've developed with all of the students that I've worked with is truly inspiring and there is no better feeling than when each of my students progresses and accomplishes one of his/her goals. Tutoring is more than just helping these students succeed academically, but also socially.
 * __Tutoring__**

In January 2011, I began to tutor juniors for the ACT. I helped, again, with the reading and english portion of the standardized tests, helping students discover their strengths and weaknesses, as well as providing strategies for their success. Beginning in August of 2011, I began to help students with the math portion of the test. Although there is much frustration when scores stay stagnant or dip below what the students would like, it is important to focus on what the student does well and work on any improvements. All of the students that I've been fortunate enough to work with were able to build confidence and improve their scores.

During the 2011-2012 school year, I have also been working one on one with students as a subject tutor. Math and science are the two greatest demands, but I have also helped students with english, history, and spanish homework. I enjoy helping these students in anyway that I can from completing homework to building confidence in his/her studying and test taking strategies, note taking, and brainstorming ideas for papers.

Along with tutoring, I have been a substitute teacher and substitute teaching assistant for some school districts in my area. Again, I have had to opportunity to work with a wide range of grade levels, from Kindergarten through Seniors in high school. Within that spectrum of ages there have been a wide range of learning abilities among the students.
 * __Substitute Teacher__**

As a substitute teaching assistant (mainly for grades K-8), I have worked with students who have mild learning disabilities to those who have various degrees of autism. Working with these students have been invaluable, as I have the chance to see not only the role of the teaching assistant in helping the student(s), but also how the TA works with the classroom teacher to modify tests and assignments. Many of the students I worked with were quick to help me with schedules and procedures that first time I met them, which helped me tremendously. Having not worked extensively with special education students before, I learned just how important it is to be patient, listen carefully, and talk through information with //every// student, no matter his/her learning ability.

Being a substitute teacher for grades K-12 also taught me how to be patient. Each regular classroom teacher leaves different plans, some more detailed than others, and I often navigated through the lessons for the day with the help of some wonderful students. No matter what the age level, there were several students per class that were ready and willing to help out their substitute teacher, which I greatly appreciated. I often worried that students would be disrespectful towards me, as a substitute, but found that the opposite was true. Classroom management, while I did learn much from being with different groups of students, was not difficult as long as I provided each class with my expectations before beginning the lesson. Students knew the consequences for misbehavior (referral to their regular teacher) and always responded well to praise for doing their work.

Besides classroom management, I taught a great variety of subjects and met great teachers. I subbed as a transitional kindergarten teacher several times, putting my tutoring skills to use as I taught the small classes blends and phonics, as well as basic math. I read stories and listened to the kids brainstorm ideas for writing practice. Teaching this kindergarten class was one of the most difficult because the kids had an incredible amount of energy and were so eager to learn constantly. At the middle and high school level, I was a math, history, english, science, and spanish teacher. Each offered a unique look on how students responded to the material and what each student succeeded and struggled with. As a middle school teacher, I had more of an opportunity to interact with the students, teaching lessons in math when I filled in with a teacher for a 3-day period, as well as helping students complete a project in their social studies class. I paid close attention to the ways in which teachers had students take notes, what tests looked like, and monitored the type of homework that was assigned. In turn, I am considering some of the strategies for my future classroom and wish to learn everything I can.

Beginning in November 2011, I have been working part-time as a teaching assistant in aforementioned special education kindergarten class. I have enjoyed learning from and watching the students progress and grow throughout the past few months. Every day is a completely new day with new experiences. I am a part of a wonderful team (including the speech pathologist, physical therapist, and occupational therapist), each of us working to help each of our students succeed in kindergarten. Beginning in January 2012, I have been taking some of the students into the general education kindergarten to work towards developing better social skills and independence in a large group setting. The students have progressed greatly and the other group of kindergartners have welcomed them and helped them tremendously.
 * __Teaching Assistant__**

Working with these five- and six-year-olds has inspired me to learn more about Autism, Aspergers, ADHD, and learning disabilities in my free time, as well as begin my special education endorsement. The classroom teacher has been an incredible asset, answering any questions that I have, providing information about the students, their needs, and the experiences she has had in the past. I feel privileged to be working with her, as my knowledge base grows steadily each day.

These learning experiences have been a blessing and I look forward to learning still more as I continue my journey to becoming a teacher.

Here you will find a list of the courses I took while an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:.