Teaching Philosophy
My goal as a teacher educator is to empower future teachers to better serve their students through dialogic learning environments that welcome the experiences of all members while expecting growth through collaboration. I am intent on developing teacher candidates’ abilities to complete action research through reflective and data informed practices. As technology is central to our lives, I aim to prepare them to use the latest technology in innovative and effective manners. As an educator, my role goes beyond the classroom, requiring active participation in the college-wide community as well as in professional organizations, demonstrating the importance of service and professional development to future teachers.
Education holds the power to enact change in the world and as a teacher educator my goal is to develop learning environments that prepare teacher candidates to address injustices in education.
Education holds the power to enact change in the world and as a teacher educator my goal is to develop learning environments that prepare teacher candidates to address injustices in education.
Teaching & Advising Experience
Teacher Education
University Based Teacher Educator (Student Teaching Supervisor)
SUNY Geneseo, Fall 2020-Present.
SUNY Geneseo, Spring 2017, Spring 2018
SUNY Geneseo, Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Fall 2016, Fall 2017
SUNY Geneseo, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Fall 2017
University of Dayton, Spring 2016
Rochester Institute of Technology, Fall 2015
University of Dayton, Summer 2015
University of Dayton, Spring 2015
Buffalo State University, Spring 2014, Summer 2014
SUNY Buffalo, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014
SUNY Buffalo, Fall 2012
English Language Education (ESOL)
ELI Program and Curricular Development. English Language Institute, Roberts Wesleyan College
Spring 2015 & Fall 2015
Roberts Wesleyan College, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Summer 2015, Fall 2015
Roberts Wesleyan College, Fall 2015
Spanish Language Education
Introductory Spanish, Grades 7 & 8
Rochester City School District, 2014-2015
Binghamton City School District. 2009-2011
Mohawk Central School District, January 2009-June 2009
Mohawk Valley Community College, Spring 2009
Early Childhood Education
Teacher, Early Childhood Research Center
SUNY Buffalo
University Based Teacher Educator (Student Teaching Supervisor)
SUNY Geneseo, Fall 2020-Present.
- During their semester of student teaching, I work to provide support, supervision, and constructive feedback to teacher candidates pursuing their certification in World Language Education. This requires numerous observations, supported reflections, and feedback on various assignments to support their growth as educators in the field.
SUNY Geneseo, Spring 2017, Spring 2018
- This graduate course focuses on methods, materials, and technology to meet the needs of ELLs of all backgrounds and proficiencies to communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success. It emphasizes planning, implementation, and assessment that is authentic and collaborative in nature.
SUNY Geneseo, Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Fall 2016, Fall 2017
- This graduate course presented conceptual foundations and general principles of linguistics relevant to the teaching of English to speakers of other languages with an emphasis on culture and its interrelationship with language acquisition to prepare professionals in the field of TESOL.
SUNY Geneseo, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Fall 2017
- As students were in need of this course, but the department was unable to offer it, I undertook a directed study with graduate students in order to meet their and departmental needs. This graduate course introduced students to concepts of language acquisition and the theories and practices related to language and literacy development in a second language.
University of Dayton, Spring 2016
- This course focuses on developing concepts in teaching English as a Second (L2) or Foreign Language (FL) through theoretical perspectives on language learning interwoven with practical techniques for classroom instruction. This course is a requirement for teacher candidates preparing for positions in K-12 schools in the United States as well as those pursuing teaching positions internationally.
Rochester Institute of Technology, Fall 2015
- As a survey course on research design, methods, and analysis, this course served as an introduction for graduate students in various programs throughout the University. It provided a broad overview of the process and practices of research in applied contexts and was conducted as a hybrid, with weekly in person meetings as well as modules online.
University of Dayton, Summer 2015
- This course focused on developing the understandings of future ESOL teachers in the structure of English. While focused on language components, the course additionally prepared teacher candidates to conduct research on language acquisition in their future classrooms as well as planning for the instruction of ELLs.
University of Dayton, Spring 2015
- This online course focused on the science behind human language, examining phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, and introduced students to the theoretical underpinnings of language acquisition. Students enrolled were pursing graduate level preparation in TESOL.
Buffalo State University, Spring 2014, Summer 2014
- Since the course had not previously been taught at Buffalo State University, I was instrumental in its creation, based on NCATE and TESOL Standard 4, and then redesigned the course to be an online offering for summer 2014. This graduate level course focused on developing the skills of future educators of English Language Learners (ELLs) to be able to assess their students’ linguistic abilities and content area knowledge. Topics of discussion included issues of assessment, language proficiency assessments, and classroom based assessments. All students in the course were pursuing certification in TESOL.
SUNY Buffalo, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014
- This course focuses on introducing potential teacher candidates to discussions of educational topics such as the role of homework, integration, students with disabilities, educational policy, bullying, and second language learners. This experience presented the challenge of facilitating observational hours for students and incorporating those experiences in a reflective manner to make them meaningful and beneficial. Fall 2013 included the opportunity to co-teach the section with a fellow PhD candidate in order to expand our understanding of the co-teaching process and fill a gap in the research regarding co-teaching at the university level. For Fall 2014, I converted this offering into an online course using available technologies.
SUNY Buffalo, Fall 2012
- This graduate level course for foreign (LOTE) and second (TESOL) language teacher candidates in an initial certification program focused on providing fundamental theory and methodology. By the end of the course, students demonstrated understandings of the major influences in language education methods and second language acquisition as well as the ability to develop innovative and technologically focused classroom units based on the standards outlined by New York State, ACTFL, and TESOL.
English Language Education (ESOL)
ELI Program and Curricular Development. English Language Institute, Roberts Wesleyan College
Spring 2015 & Fall 2015
- In order to support the English Language Institute, I was hired to develop and implement the curriculum for its program for undergraduate and graduate English Language Learners. During Fall 2015, I continued curriculum development as well as supported the development of an undergraduate TESOL program. I additionally advise and mentor international students enrolled in the institute as well as interns serving in the institute.
Roberts Wesleyan College, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Summer 2015, Fall 2015
- I developed and instructed this course for English Language Learners (ELLs) who desired to improve their academic listening and speaking abilities in presentation, interpretive, and interpersonal skills. The course aimed to prepare students to enroll in degree programs within the university. This opportunity furthered my pedagogical understandings in TESOL in order to benefit future teacher candidates.
Roberts Wesleyan College, Fall 2015
- This weekly seminar focuses on supporting students during their adjustment to American college life, which providing students with academic and social skills and support necessary to succeed. Through these meetings, students are provided with advisement, emotional support, and academic skills.
Spanish Language Education
Introductory Spanish, Grades 7 & 8
Rochester City School District, 2014-2015
- RCSD was facing great need in their languages department and I was able to support the district through accepting a part-time Spanish position for the year. This position has allowed me to work cooperatively with a local district, develop deeper understandings of the APPR evaluation methods, and make meaningful connections, all while facilitating a learning environment to help students prepare to earn a high school credit in foreign language.
Binghamton City School District. 2009-2011
- During my time at East Middle School, my language teaching abilities grew greatly as I had the opportunity to connect language learning to the community at large. Numerous students spoke Spanish as a heritage language and others were enrolling in Spanish once they had reached proficiency on the NYSESLAT. In this position, my interest regarding students with learning disabilities learning a second language blossomed. I was involved in numerous aspects of the school community, including the committee on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, mentoring, and interdisciplinary work with other content teachers.
Mohawk Central School District, January 2009-June 2009
- Being hired knowing it was only a six month position presented me with a challenge to bring students to the proficiency level at a rapid pace. While difficult, I believe I succeeded in building the fundamentals of language while incorporating language learning throughout the school and providing a learning environment open to linguistic and cultural diversity.
Mohawk Valley Community College, Spring 2009
- I taught Spanish 101 to a class of nineteen students who needed the course for graduation credit or to move on to a larger university. I succeeded in providing students with the fundamental tools to communicate in Spanish, while fostering a love of the language through engaging and innovative activities. This was my first experience educating undergraduate students and it sparked my passion for teaching in higher education.
Early Childhood Education
Teacher, Early Childhood Research Center
SUNY Buffalo
- As a lead early childhood education teacher at the center, not only was I able to work with children from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, but I was also trained in coaching and advising methodology in order to advise the undergraduate and master’s level students interning at the center. This broadened my experience as a language educator to the early childhood age range and challenged me to provide mentoring and supervision of future teachers as they planned, carried out, and reflected on their instruction.