Acting Director, Center for School-University Partnerships Fall 2014 – present Minnesota State University, Mankato
Facilitate partnerships with 10 Professional Development School partners, including work with Superintendents, Teacher Leaders, Building Administrators, Mentor Teachers, and University Faculty
Coordinate AVID Alliance to embed AVID practices in University and K-12 settings
Deliver high quality professional development on Co-Teaching, Leadership Development and other relevant issues identified by stakeholders
Assistant Director, Office of Field & International Experience 2010-2014 Minnesota State University, Mankato
Facilitated field placements for teacher candidates in collaboration with university and P-12 faculty
Co-designed and implemented professional learning teams, co-teaching model, and long-term field experience model
Provided professional development seminars for teacher candidates focused on Co-teaching & Academic Language
Mentored and evaluated teacher candidates in schools in Minnesota, Mexico and Costa Rica
Professor, Elementary and Early Childhood 2002-2010 Minnesota State University, Mankato
Planned and taught courses related to elementary and middle level learning: Philosophy and Practice of Middle School and Science, Technology and Social Studies; Curriculum, Management, & Assessment and Using Movement in the Classroom
Implemented problem-based learning model for field experience and service learning
Mentored and evaluated undergraduate students during field experiences in local elementary and middle schools
Initiated professional development seminar series for teacher candidates
Coordinated department documentation for NCATE accreditation (2006)
Middle School Teacher 1999-2002 West Bloomfield Public Schools, West Bloomfield, Michigan
Taught language arts, social studies and Spanish to 7th and 8th grade students in an ethnically diverse, affluent suburb of Detroit
Collaborated with four colleagues on interdisciplinary team emphasizing student achievement and differentiation
Served on North Central Accreditation (NCA) review committee
Middle School Teacher and Staff Developer 1994-1999 Community Consolidated School District 21, Wheeling, Illinois
Taught 6th and 8th graders all subjects on bilingual and English-only teams using integrated, concept-based curriculum model
Emphasized inclusion, flexible scheduling, differentiation, and parent engagement
Co-facilitated district's Learning...To Work grant for community-based career partnership initiatives, including problem-based learning design