Teaching

I am training as a Program Specialist with LAUSD's Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES). My work at SOCES is through the College & Career Counseling Center, helping students make the transition into adult life and performing impact evaluations to advise administrative decisions.

I served as a teaching apprentice for high school social studies instruction in mild/ moderate special education environments under the supervision of Mrs. Catherine Watson-Short. I learned and applied methods for lesson planning, modality variation, scaffolding and differentiation, E/LA instruction, standards assessment, psychoeducational observation, and behavior management.

While I was in high school, I co-founded Science of Psychosis, an organization dedicated to students with psychotic disorders. I organized trainings for local teachers to recognize and support students with psychotic disorders such as schizoaffective disorder and psychotic depression.

I have been trained in special education law and advocacy. I am able to navigate all domains of special education, including child find and evaluation, IDEA and FAPE, IEP implementation and progress measurement, and dispute resolution options.

I always strive to be ahead of the curve in all of the subjects which I teach. As such, I've completed extensive professional developments in the teaching of American History, civic engagement for students, and technology integration in the classroom.

I have been certified in the State of California as competent to teach Social Science as a single subject in secondary education classrooms as well as Multiple Subjects for self-contained classrooms and special education environments.

I take great pride in planning engaging lessons that reach all learners and I've had extensive practice with it as well. My lessons follow all of the best educational practices, including backwards design, multiple access, and student-centric framing. I am also a major proponent of thoughtful technological integration in the classroom, using advanced technologies to meaningfully enhance lessons.

I hold myself to high pedagogical standards. Part of that, I've found, involves intentionally varying the instructional modality of my classrooms. Direct instruction is valuable for learners, in addition to group and independent learning; I use all of them in concert. I find that this, in conjunction with robust scaffolding and differentiation practices, helps me to deliver impactful lessons that stick.

I have trained in all of the best practices in student assessment, including standards aligned testing, recurrent formative assessment, and student reflection. I have also trained in functional behavior assessment, classroom observation, and goal progress measurement for special education settings.