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I have expertise in teaching newcomers - immigrant and refugee students (English learners) brand new to the U.S. I have a vision of integrating education into the community. I am an advocate for teachers as well as students.
I earned an Anthropology degree from a Quaker liberal arts college and entered education from a sense of wanting to serve, teaching at tuition-free private Catholic schools in urban areas of Newark, NJ and Baltimore, MD.
I discovered a love for students and decided to make teaching my career. I returned to school and earned a degree and licensure in elementary education, and after a few more years in Catholic schools and a two-year stint at a charter school, I finally broke into the public school system.
In 2012, I began teaching at a “Newcomers” school – a specialty school within my district for immigrant and refugee students - designed to fast-track literacy and as a transition into American schools. I became devoted to this student population and added ESL to my license. Since then, I have thrived in this environment, distinguishing myself as a teacher of multi-lingual students, and moving to staff a second school, Sylvia Mendez Newcomers (named for the student at the heart of the Mendez v. Westminster segregation case) last fall.
2012-present – English Language Arts and Reading teacher for elementary grades Doris Henderson Newcomers School, Greensboro, NC and Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School High Point, NC
2017- present - Cooperating teacher for UNCG student interns (TESOL MAT candidates), overseeing their student teaching experience
2018 – present - Mentor for beginning teachers at my school, providing emotional, logistical, and instructional coaching supports for teachers during their first three years of licensure
2019 – Educator selected by the Council of the Great City Schools to showcase how the 3LsTM framework is implemented with English learners in the early grades - This is a set of instructional practices that are considered high leverage because they provide ELs (English Learners) immediate access to complex text through highly engaging activities that cover grade-level content, attend to how English works, and build the academic language necessary to engage with the content.
Developed unique instruction that was approved by the Council and professionally videotaped to be included in a nationally distributed professional development program designed to teach the 3LsTM approach to educators.
Teacher panelist selected by the Council to share insights on the implementation of the 3Ls approach and its impact on instructional practice and student outcomes. The panel was also professionally videotaped to be included in the nationally disseminated 3Ls courses.
2021 - NCAE (North Carolina Association of Educators) Leadership Fellow
2021 -Adviser to Kansas City Public Schools on teaching 3L’s to Newcomers students, including how teachers of Newcomers accomplished these goals during remote instruction.
2022 - Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program participant - provided field experience to and collaborated with fellow international Fulbright participants to grow as master teachers through professional development and cultural programming and to support the development of students’ global and cultural competence, helping to prepare them for success in an interconnected world
2023-2024 - Research Team Member: The Strategies and Innovations for Multilingual Learner Success (or ML Success) Project, one of the 20 research projects across North Carolina supported through federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) legislation. A partnership between the University of North Carolina Greensboro and North Carolina Department for Public Instruction
Aims of the Project: 1) identify schools that demonstrated success in supporting multilingual learners (MLs)’ academic development; 2) explore strategies and innovations that contributed to the support for ML learning; 3) summarize lessons learned and offering recommendations to inform ML-focused policies and practices.
2023-2024 – School Leadership Team member – Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School
2023-2024 – Instructional Leadership Team member – Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School
I wanted to take this opportunity to briefly share a vision I have for schools to get kids out of the classroom and into the community and nature. It is an unnatural habitat for a child of any age to sit in a classroom for eight hours a day. It’s not good for them in any way – physically, developmentally, psychologically, socially, etc. Even in the most progressive kinds of schools and classroom environments, children spend too much time inside a school building and isolated from the rest of society. I think its more appropriate to devote a few hours to targeted classroom instruction earlier in the day and spend the latter part of the day applying learning in the community. Id like to think of the community as an extension of the school campus. Kids spend thirteen years shut away in large brick buildings, then somehow, we expect them to seamlessly integrate into functioning as part of the community after graduation. I think a more effective and exciting model of education would introduce students into the community early in their school careers. Integration of younger students into the community could follow standard early grades curricula and invite students to visit parks, farms, zoos, and the places where various community helpers work. Older students could participate in community partnerships with a variety of businesses where they could apprentice and provide service at entry levels.
I believe this model would enrich all community stakeholders. Students of all ages would also benefit from outdoor programs that put them back in touch with nature. There are opportunities for students to explore every content area within the larger community: math, science, art, music, etc. I would welcome the opportunity to further explore this idea and brainstorm practical applications.
Nominator's thoughts on what would make this nominee a valuable member of a future Trump Unity Government
1) Is Competent ... I am a distinguished teacher of ELL students (English Language Learners). I have thrived professionally in the niche of teaching Newcomers - immigrant and refugee students brand new to the country. I have hosted internships for TESOL MAT candidates, overseeing their student teaching experience for several years, was selected by the Council of the Great City Schools to showcase how the 3LsTM framework - a high-leverage set of instructional practices - is implemented with English learners, developed unique instruction that was approved by the Council and professionally videotaped to be included in a nationally distributed professional development program designed to teach the 3LsTM approach to educators, and served as a Research Team Member on The Strategies and Innovations for Multilingual Learner Success (or ML Success) Project, one of the 20 research projects across North Carolina supported through federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) legislation. I think the ability to effectively educate newcomers is an especially relevant skill set right now.
2) Is Honest... I think honesty and integrity go hand-in-hand. Its about standing up for what you believe is right and speaking out about what you believe the truth to be - in spite of negative social, professional, etc. repercussions. I think it has taken courage and integrity for many of us Kennedy staff, volunteers, and supporters to share and promote Bobbys ideas and vision in an unwavering way and remain committed to informing and educating the people around us. We are working against the brainwashing of our friends and family by the mainstream media, and we have had to endure their derision and rejection. The experience has been a great one, though, for revealing who the truth-tellers are.
3) Is Respectful ... I work with students and families from all over the world. As part of my job, I actively seek ways to overcome obstacles in order to communicate with parents and empower them in their childrens education. I value each student and family, appreciating their culture, background, and contribution to our community. As a professional in this diverse environment, I operate with everyone - students, families, and colleagues - from a position of ultimate respect.
4) Has Integrity ... See #2. :)
5) Has Courage ... As a public school teacher, I served as a building leader and organizing fellow for our union, NCAE (NC Association of Educators) in a state that bans government employees from unionizing. I was proudly transparent about working part-time for the RFK, Jr. campaign in a climate of opposition and smears against Mr. Kennedy and his supporters.
6) Has a Proven Record... Educator selected by the Council of the Great City Schools to showcase how the 3LsTM framework is implemented with English learners in the early grades - This is a set of instructional practices that are considered high leverage because they provide ELs (English Learners) immediate access to complex text through highly engaging activities that cover grade-level content, attend to how English works, and build the academic language necessary to engage with the content.
Developed unique instruction that was approved by the Council and professionally videotaped to be included in a nationally distributed professional development program designed to teach the 3LsTM approach to educators.
Teacher panelist selected by the Council to share insights on the implementation of the 3Ls approach and its impact on instructional practice and student outcomes. The panel was also professionally videotaped to be included in the nationally disseminated 3Ls courses.
Adviser to Kansas City Public Schools on teaching 3L’s to Newcomers students, including how teachers of Newcomers accomplished these goals during remote instruction.