Resume
With over 17 years of experience in the classroom as an educator in a high school history classroom, I wish to use the skills I have gained in the classroom setting to help other educators successfully plan, assess, and reflect on their practices. In my time in the classroom, I have taught students in the Advanced Placement setting (AP) as well as Special Education and ESOL students in the team-taught setting. I have worked collaboratively with colleagues to create resources and meaningful assessments to successfully guide student learning. Outside of the classroom, I have led and participated as a guest on multiple professional development sessions on a national, state, district, and school level to encourage teachers to integrate various technology platforms to enhance learning in their classrooms. I have a passion for helping students learn and have found an even bigger passion to help teachers get them there. I am excited to use the skills and tools I have gained from being a classroom teacher to help others improve and elevate their lessons.
Education Experience
Bachelor of Arts, Secondary Education/History
Rhode Island College, Providence, RI. 2005
Masters of Arts, New Professional Studies
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. 2008
Certifications
Commonwealth of Virginia, Postgraduate Professional License (History and Social Sciences)
Effective July 1, 2021-June 30, 2031
Teaching Experience
Prince William County Schools August 2005-June 2022
Manassas, VA
Social Studies Teacher August 2005-June 2016
Osbourn Park High School, Manassas, VA
Social Studies Teacher August 2016-June 2022
Charles J. Colgan, Sr. High School, Manassas, VA
Differentiates instruction for a variety of learners from AP, Pre-AP, special education inclusion and ESOL inclusion classrooms.
Centers on skills such as analysis of primary source documents, geography, and cultural interaction.
Emphasis on non-western histories is stressed, especially in the AP World History course.
Collaborates with colleagues to develop meaningful assessments and learning tools to emphasize student learning.
Utilizes Project-based learning to enhance student learning.
Utilizes various Edtech tools to engage students and allow them to demonstrate learning in different ways.
Develops History and Social Science curriculum using a backwards design to support best practice and educator instruction.
Designs teaching resources that support inquiry based learning and historical thinking
Leadership Experience
I have presented various strategies to integrate technology in the classroom at professional development conferences on a state, division, and school level. I have also worked at the State level through a Governor appointed position to the Governor’s Teacher Cabinet as well as the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Committee to help improve school quality throughout the Commonwealth. With my students, I provide meaningful interactions with parents and begin important dialogue with colleagues to the table and, ultimately, help strengthen Virginia Public Schools.
Instructional Technology Coach (part time position) August 2020 - June 2022
Charles J. Colgan, Sr. High School
Assist lead ITC of the school in coaching teachers in utilizing technology tools in their classrooms.
Plan and help teachers execute lessons and integrate various EdTech tools.
Responsible for set up and install of numerous AppleTVs in various classrooms in the school building for teachers to better facilitate student learning.
World History Team Leader
Osbourn Park High School World History I September 2014 – June 2016
Charles J. Colgan, Sr High School September 2016 – June 2020
Collaborates with the World History I team to create common learning targets and assessments to be used throughout all World History I classes.
Facilitated the development of team norms, protocols, and agendas.
Coordinated and facilitated team meetings and discussion.
State Superintendent’s Advisory Committee Member April 2015 – June 2016
Selected as a member by former Superintendent Steven Staples
Serving as the only representative for Prince William County Schools to dialogue with the Superintendent and teachers from across the Commonwealth about concerns in the classroom.
Governor’s Teacher Cabinet Member September 2013-January 2014
As part of Executive Order No. 63 (2013) and appointed by former Governor Robert McDonnell, the Governor’s Teacher Cabinet had the following responsibilities:
Identifying additional resources, learning tools and professional development opportunities that the Department of Education could make available to local school divisions.
Recommend strategies for the greater parents and community engagement.
Recommended strategies to improve K-12 education, higher education, and workforce collaboration.
Identifying any needed improvements to administrative responsibilities
Recommended strategies to close the achievement gap and assist disadvantaged students.
Served as the only representative from Prince William County Schools.
World History Curriculum and Leadership Team August 2010-Spring 2013
Prince William County Social Studies Textbook Selection Committee 2010-2011
o Teacher representative on the textbook committee
o Examined Ancient History textbooks to be adopted by the high schools for the school division. This included determining whether there was inaccurate or extreme bias in explanation of historical events, use of maps, graphs, and primary sources, as well as a proper coverage of true “world” history including the areas of China, Japan, early African kingdoms and South America and Mesoamerica.
Prince William County Social Studies 140 Hour Committee 2010-2011
o Facilitated work sessions of collaborating teachers from throughout the county.
o Committee focus on creating learning opportunities that centered on primary sources throughout various regions of the world, writing research essays and culminating in the formation of a portfolio.
Ancient World History Cohort 2010-2011, 2011-2012
o Member of the Ancient World History Cohort 2 consecutive years.
o Collaborated with other teachers to enhance the non-western aspects of the Ancient World History curriculum to improve the experience of our diverse population in Prince William County.
Pre-AP World History Curriculum Development Spring 2012-Spring 2013
o Organized and facilitated a group of teachers to help enhance the Pre-AP World History and Geography to 1500 course.
o Using backwards design, created common, formative, and summative assessments to be offered to Pre-AP WHI teachers.
o In the Fall of 2012, I helped to deliver professional development to teachers in the county on the new non-western focus and skill development of the course.
Teacher Mentor August 2011-June 2012
Mentor to a first-year teacher new to Prince William County and Osbourn Park High School via the Mentor Program.
Regular meetings with open dialogue concerning curriculum and student learning on a weekly basis.
Monthly meetings with other mentors/mentees in the school to discuss further concerns address problems and share ideas outside of the Social Studies content area.
Professional Development Presentations
“Using Digital Tools and New Media to Enhance Learning”
o Presented with Christina Ross at:
Prince William County Schools Social Studies Content Day, August 29, 2012
Virginia Council for the Social Studies Conference, November 1, 2012
Virginia Council for the Social Studies Conference, November 1, 2013
“New Enhancements: Pre-AP World History Curriculum”
o Presented with Kara Otto at:
Prince William County Schools Social Studies Content Day, August 29, 2012
“Successfully Executing a Socratic Seminar in your SS Classroom”
o Presented with Allison Holzgang at:
Prince William County Schools Social Studies Content Day, August 28, 2013
“Using Todaysmeet.com to Backchannel discussion”
o Presented at:
Osbourn Park Technology Showcase, November 18, 2013
“Using Socratic Seminar to help your World History students think critically, and articulate historical knowledge”
o Presented with Allison Holzgang at:
Prince William County Schools Social Studies Content Day, August 26, 2015
“Using Goosechase in the classroom”
o Presented with Allison Holzgang:
Colgan Best Practices Professional Development, January 28, 2019
“Podcasts Are the New Essays: Promote Student Voice with Podcasting”
o Special guest on a session presented by William Watts and Daniel Nemerow
ISTE Live 2020, December 20, 2020
Skills
Using a variety of technology that enhances learning:
o Microsoft tools for education
o Google Suite (collaborate, collect data and student work)
o Apple tools – MacBook, iPads and implementing AppleTV as a tool in the classroom
o Canva
o Nearpod
o Padlet
o Flipgrid
o GoFormative
o EdPuzzle
o Goosechase Edu
Maintaining online classroom website via Canvas.
Creating assessments for varying needs.
Ability to network and create close relationships that facilitates long lasting partnerships that allows teams to work hard to achieve a goal.
Ability to determine how people who are different can work together productively.
Ability to anticipate obstacles, which allows me to make good decisions based on my research.
A commitment to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.