Elizabeth's Education

By eljoka
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    Elizabeth's Education

  • began kindergarten -- LOVED school!

    Melvin H Kreps Elementary School, and my beloved Mrs. Giermann, rocked my world – she wrote me letters for 2 years after I moved away the following spring.

  • 5th grade teacher inspires with projects

    Mrs Kline, my Language Arts teacher, created wonderfully engaging, creative projects. Permitted me to work independently on a book for an entire month after standards were mastered.

  • graduated 8th grade --middle school kids are nuts

    finished 8th grade –could not conceive how anyone would willingly choose to work with middle school students-- they are CRAZY!

  • entered UVA - high hopes, soon to change

    planning to major in chemistry and computer science… work-study job in Dept of Biochemistry

  • left UVA to travel South Pacific

    began 15 months of travel in south pacific – NZ, Australia, French Polynesia, Fiji, Rarotonga, and Bali

  • returned to UVA

    took 2 courses in anthropology and worked 60 hr weeks to earn tuition

  • received BA Anthroplogy

    lots of courses in linguistics, which proved helpful in teaching students with language impairments…worked as a laborer for a landscape architect

  • decided to pursue teaching degree

    Working for a graphic design and screenprinting firm. Decided to pursue teaching degree, but too late to apply at UVA -- JMU accepted me in grad school, and I took 3 electives at PVCC that summer.

  • began graduate education program at JMU

    began graduate program at JMU in upper elementary/middle ed (gr 4-8). First 8am class-- music for children, 5 days a week

  • got married

    moved to Barboursville

  • received teaching certificate

    completed requirements for initial teaching certification, grades 4-8, all subjects

  • substitute teaching at Jouett Middle School

    frequently in sp.ed. functional skills classroom. Long-term sub in 8th grade physical science. Negative experiences prompted desire for more training in behavior mgmt and special ed.

  • received M.Ed. from JMU

    received Master's in Upper Elementary Education

  • taught summer school

    more challenges from students with special needs. Lots of interdisicplinary projects to reinforce all core subjects.

  • 1st teaching job in Madison-- seeking SpEd certification on the job

    teaching self-contained sp ed 4th and 5th graders and began “SOAR,” a 2-yr, intensive sp ed certification program thru UVA and VA Dept of Ed (twice a week distance-learning, plus weeknd and summer sessions)

  • 1st child born - finished sp.ed. certification-left teaching

    daughter Mariel is born – completed SOAR program with my one-month old asleep in the car seat. Decided to stay at home to raise family.

  • 2nd child born - "human development specialist" at home

    son Edward Jr born… continuing my new career as a “human development specialist” (aka “stay-at-home” mom) .. teaching not just my own kids, but Sunday school and occasional cooperative preschool sessions

  • on my own, decorative painting for hire

    newly separated, bought fixer-upper closer to town… trying to launch a business painting murals, sky ceilings and furniture

  • internship with multi-media design firm

    Internship with Creative perspectives, a downtown multimedia design firm

  • completed certificate program in multimedia design at PVCC

    completed 2-yr PVCC Center for Workforce training and Development’s certificate program in Multimedia Design

  • work as technical writer w/ some graphic design

    contract work as technical writer and graphic designer for local medical technology systems start-up.

  • back to teaching - long-term sub at Stony Point E.S.

    thought I would never go back to teaching, but accepted long term sub at Stony Point Elementary in special ed… supposed to be 6 weeks, but stretched until late April ‘03

  • moved to Hollymead Elementary

    finished the school year at Hollymead ES as a sp.ed. TA working with nonverbal, disabled siblings who just transferred from out of state. Accepted 2003-04 sp.ed.position at Hollymead ES

  • Special Ed teacher at Hollymead Elementary

    sp.ed. collaboration, resource and self-contained with K-5 students. Decided I prefer working with upper/middle ed.

  • Burley Middle School Special Ed

    moved to Burley after H ollymead position cut to 0.5. Taught collaborative + self-contained sp.ed. math 6-8, 7th sci/soc. collaborative classes.

  • 2004-08 Burley Sp Ed

    Sp Ed collaboratives in all subject areas, grades 6-8. Self-contained math and language arts for 6-8 graders with ED, LD, OHI, MR, and autism. VAAP, VGLA, and SOL prep for multiple grades and subjects is overwhelming.

  • 7th grade Language Arts only :)-- developing PBL activities

    7th grade language arts only! Began developing multi-media projects to enhance curriculum. Sharing assignments with students through Google Docs, and trying to master use of available resources.

  • Taught 7th grade science, social studies, and adv hon language arts

    desperate to move out of self-contained classes, accepted principal's offer to teach 3 content classes while keeping one block sp.ed. collab in 7th and 8th grade sci/soc studies.

  • signed up for a 21st century eTeacher course

    what was I thinking? Scheduled for surgery on right wrist, but determined to learn how to integrate technology effectively in my classroom, I jumped at the chance...