English Education and Curriculum Design Experience

 I decided to become a teacher after volunteering with the special education department in my high school. In my free periods, I read with students with a variety of disabilities. There, I discovered my patience and dedication to building up others’ confidence in literacy.

After my undergraduate studies, I taught 9th and 12th grade ELA at a boarding school that specifically serves students in foster care. This experience transformed my understanding of education, allowing me to grow my skills in restorative justice and designing culturally relevant lessons that were differentiated to meet the diverse needs of my students.

I then began teaching college-level courses to 9th graders, finding creative ways to bridge the gap between foundational writing and reading skills and deeper critical thinking and analysis skills. My passion and commitment to my students earned me the position of team leader, allowing me to support new teachers with feedback, resources, and open discussion with a focus on backwards planning and evidenced based practices.

Literature is a body of knowledge that encompasses many disciplines such as history, philosophy, and psychology; it is a powerful tool that facilitates young learners in their search to make meaningful human connections. Researching effective and engaging methods for teaching ELA is at the heart of my passion for teaching, because I believe that strong literacy skills are vital for a successful and happy life. 

As an English Language Arts teacher of five years, I have been constantly learning and improving my practice. While teaching, I completed my Master’s in Education, and had the opportunity to discuss the biggest challenges educators and students face today. I have also personally witnessed the educational landscape change in the last five years, and am always revising my plans to best prepare students for these challenges.

One of the newest challenges educators are facing centers around ways in which technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence, will be restructuring jobs and opportunities for the newer generations of workers. We teachers are wondering how to prepare our students for careers which are still largely unknown, and which we have little experience in ourselves. This has led me to an interest in exploring learning design in an online setting to unlock the skills needed to excel in these unprecedented times. My skills as an expert classroom instructor translate to learning design to provide universally accessible, rigorous educational opportunities.