Core Beliefs

CORE BELIEFS

Every child needs to feel comfortable and safe in the classroom and school: When the children arrive at school, moving through the halls, at their desks, and at all learning areas throughout the classroom as well as in the bathroom, at lunch, recess and at dismissal.

All children can learn and may need many learning modalities to do so: visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic methods are used. Many children will benefit when relating the learning to music and art. What a child learns depends on what he or she already knows; activating prior knowledge is of the utmost importance.

As a teacher, I guide students through instruction and activities to help them develop critical and creative thinking skills as well as reading, writing, listening, speaking, and math skills. This is done using a variety of methods including: mini-lessons, guided practice, and engaging students in learning activities; children must be actively engaged in their learning. Also most important, each child must be learning at his or her own level; thus, differentiation. Math and literacy centers as well as writer’s workshop are perfect opportunities to provide the differentiated learning.

Teaching the whole child includes working closely with the child’s guardians and/or family. Frequent communication in person, telephone, e-mail, notes home, and a News Letter are all methods of communication and working together to help children succeed.

Cover Letter

LISA HERNANDEZ ROONEY
12 Pine Hill Road, Tuxedo, New York 10987
Tel: (845) 915-3207
E-Mail: 708Lisa@optonline.net

Dear Educators:

I am applying for a position of Teacher. I am a conscientious and well-organized dually-certified teacher in regular and special education, pre-K through 6th grade with extensive and proven experience as an educator in both areas as well as experience working with ELL students.

Since 1995 I have held diverse teaching positions. These positions include: full day Inclusion Kindergarten Teacher in the Ramapo Central School District, and Kindergarten Teacher in the Goshen Central School District. I provide classroom instruction on social skills for children as well as instruction in literacy, constructivist hands on Math, inquiry Science activities, and discovery based Social Studies. I implement formal and informal student learning assessments; plan and teach, co-teach, collaborate; work with parents; serve on various school committees, and ensure a positive, nurturing educational environment that cares for the whole child and stimulates the child’s desire to learn.

Submitted for your review and consideration please find my résumé outlining my experience, education, skills and career objective.

Previously, I held positions as First Grade Teacher at the Edward A. Fogel School of Critical Thinking, P.S. 68X in the New York City School System as well as several other teaching positions in the East Ramapo Central School District. As a result of my dedication and commitment, I have received positive feedback from parents, teachers, and administrators. Through this collective experience, I have gained effective teaching, organizational, interpersonal, and administrative skills.

I am seeking a position that will fully capitalize on my experience while providing further career growth. I am confident that the skills and expertise I possess, coupled with initiative, commitment and dedication to promoting quality education would be of benefit to any school district.

After you have had the opportunity to review and evaluate my credentials, I would be pleased to meet with you to better determine how my background and abilities may best be put to work within your program.

Sincerely,

Lisa Hernandez Rooney

Observation Lesson in Literacy with connection to science curriculum - 5/07

Observation Lesson
Lisa Hernandez Rooney
Kindergarten Viola Elementary School
Writing Workshop
Date: May 31, 2007

Learning Standards – ELA Core Curriculum

Standard 2: Literary Response and Expression Listening – appreciate and enjoy literary works through a shared reading and group discussions. Speaking – interpret words of characters; express feelings about the story; describe the actions of the character.

Standard 3: Critical analysis and evaluation Listening – form an opinion, evaluate. Speaking - express an opinion about a story. Writing – write to share what they know and what they learned.

Social Studies Core Curriculum Part 1
Children learn about themselves and others. The classroom and school become a source of social studies learning.

Purpose:

The purpose of this reading and writing activity is to provide another opportunity for the children to hear, discuss, and write about some characteristics of friendship. This is done through a shared reading of a book, group discussion, and independent writing in the May journal.

Although in this lesson we read a fiction book about fish, it provides a familiar connection to our current science curriculum of the study of fish. We have been reading non-fiction books about fish and using the FOSS kit, Animals Two by Two, to observe goldfish and guppies and describe and draw their appearance; to study and discuss goldfish and guppy behavior, and learn what a fish needs to live. There is a follow up activity: the students will make there own rainbow fish and include one silver scale to symbolize sharing; these will be displayed on the bulletin board and will be sent home at the end of the first week of June with their May Journals.

Objectives:

The learning objectives are to enjoy and comprehend the story – “Rainbow Fish,” discuss characteristics of friendship, and write and illustrate a journal entry about friendship.

Materials:

The book – “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister; the children’s May journals; a Mr. Spacey for each child (a word spacing tool); pencils and crayons; fish stencils, scissors, scales, and glue.

Procedures:

1. Children are sitting on the rug facing the teacher; teacher introduces the book and asks the children to share their memory of this familiar story.
2. The teacher states the main purpose of reading this book.
3. The teacher reads the story.
4. Teacher directs questions and guides discussion about the story; children are encouraged to share ideas for being a good friend.
5. The teacher directs the children to think of one or two things they can do to be a good friend. The children pretend to put on their thinking caps and think about their idea and sentence(s.)
6. Children move to the tables to write their journal entry.
7. Teacher facilitates by re-directing, prompting, and guiding the student or students through the writing process.
8. Informal Assessment: Teacher will make notes on the Observation Chart for each student; she will include information on areas of strength and weaknesses.
9. Students who finish early may begin to make their rainbow fish.
10. Conclusion: 2 to 4 students will share their writing with the class.

Resume

LISA HERNANDEZ ROONEY
12 Pine Hill Road, Tuxedo Park, NY, 10987
Tel: (845) 915-3207 Mobile: (845) 325-7698
E-mail: 708Lisa@optonline.net


PROFILE: Dually Certified Elementary Teacher Pre(K-6) with diversified teaching experience; a goal setting results-oriented instructor skilled at developing innovative written lesson plans designed to stimulate and challenge each student to learn, coupled with a dedicated commitment to providing quality education, seeks a position that will fully utilize both my experience and education while providing career and personal growth as an educator.

LICENSES:

• NYS Permanent (Pre-K-6) Elementary Teaching Certification
• NYS Childhood Special Education Teaching Certificate

EDUCATION:

• The City College of New York, New York, NY
  MS Early Childhood Special Education…Conferred September 2006
• University of Memphis, Memphis, TN Graduate Literacy curriculum…Completed a total of 29 credits
• Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar, VA BA English Literature…Graduated May 1981
• Hunter College of New York, New York, NY 30 credits of undergraduate courses transferred to Sweet Briar College September 1978

EXPERIENCE:

RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, Suffern, NY
09/04 to 1/09 Kindergarten Teacher - Viola Elementary, Suffern, NY (07/05-01/09)

• Create and ensure a positive, nurturing learning environment that promotes self-expression and character development for inclusion, ELL, and regular education students.
  Collaborate with grade level teachers to plan units of study.
• Teach a balanced literacy program that includes: shared, guided, independent reading, small group literacy strategy lessons, vocabulary instruction, phonics, phonemic awareness; and creating engaging literacy centers.
  Implement and monitor ongoing formal and informal student learning assessments for the data which drives planning, differentiation, and instruction.
• Confer with ESL and special area teachers and meet with the CST, CSE, and PCSE committees to discuss and decide on issues of student learning and coordination of student schedule for any special services.
• Utilize the hands-on Math Investigations Program and implement the Kathy Richardson math assessments for the data to plan mini-lessons and math activities.
• Integrate math, science and social studies with literacy.
• Plan and deliver lessons of curriculum to comply with the NYS standards.
• Serve on various school and district committees; co-created curriculum maps for literacy, math and social studies.
• Develop programs for classroom parental involvement and serve as an active participant with the PTA.
• Plan for and manage Literacy Aides and Special Education one-to-one monitors.

Kindergarten Special Education Inclusion Teaching Assistant - Sloatsburg Elementary (09/04-08/05)

• Modify instruction and manage behavior to include special education students in the general education morning Kindergarten class.
• Collaborate and plan units and lessons with the Kindergarten teachers and the Special Education Teacher for the Kindergarten classes.
• Plan and deliver lessons and guided and independent activities for all children in a reader’s workshop, writer’s workshop, literacy centers, and investigation programs in math and science.
• Manage and assist with an afternoon self-contained enrichment class.

GOSHEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, Goshen, NY
09/03 to 08/04 Kindergarten Leave Replacement Teacher - Sctichtown Elementary School, Goshen, NY

• Planned and taught all components of a center-based balanced literacy program and writing workshop.
• Implemented the hands-on Math Their Way program.
• Delivered lessons in early childhood Science and Social Studies curriculum based on NYS standards.
• Served as a member of the Curriculum Mapping Team.
• Worked collaboratively with Kindergarten teachers to develop strategies for differentiated instruction.

NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION, New York, NY
10/00 to 08/03 1st Grade Teacher - PS #68, Edward A. Fogel School of Critical Thinking and Arts, Bronx, NY

• Prepared and taught comprehensive lesson plans in all core subjects to twenty-five students.
• Utilized a Balanced Literacy Program with ongoing assessments.
• Designed and implemented innovative math, science, and social studies teaching units and lessons.
• Worked with students in small groups and one-on-one format.
• Conducted parent-teacher conferences to discuss each student’s ability, achievement level and progress
• Provided individualized teaching strategies to meet specific student learning needs; and presented students with learning needs to a child study team and initiated ELL and special education referrals as required.

EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, Spring Valley, NY
09/96 to 10/00 Reading & Language Arts Teaching Assistant - Elmwood Elementary School, Monsey, NY

• Conducted small group reading and language arts instruction for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students
• Worked collaboratively with classroom teachers to develop effective teaching strategies.
• Delivered whole class lessons designed to encourage student participation.
• Co-developed and led a writing clinic in preparation for the NYS ELA assessment.
• Assisted with organizing the annual Elmwood Science Fair.

EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, Spring Valley, NY
4th Grade Teacher – Elmwood Elementary School, (9/99 – 12/99)

• Developed and conducted daily lesson plans in all core subjects.
• Assessed each student’s progress; provided small group and individual instruction.
• Maintained positive relationships with parents through ongoing communication and conferences.

GIFTED CHILD SOCIETY, INC. Ridgewood, NJ
07/99 Taught Intermediate Shakespeare for three weeks in a summer program for gifted children.

CORDOVA PRESBYTERIAN PRE-SCHOOL, Cordova, TN
09/95 to 06/96 Teacher -Taught developmentally appropriate curriculum to a class of fifteen students.

SKILLS:

• Teaching all components of a Balanced Early Literacy program
• Teaching reading strategies including Reading Recovery methods.
• Questioning for higher order thinking.
• Teaching writing strategies and conducting a Writing Workshop based on the ideas and methods of Lucy Calkin
• Utilizing and teaching phonic methods from the Wilson, Orton-Gillian, and the Spector phonics programs.
• Developing and conducting literacy centers including center ideas from Fountas & Pinnell.
• Utilizing the handwriting strategies from the program: Handwriting Without Tears.
• Collaborating and developing teaching ideas with colleagues.
• Experienced in using the math programs: Investigations in Data and Space, Math Their Way; and Chicago Math
• Using the “inquiry based science strategy” for small group, and partner science experiments.
• Writing a monthly class newsletter for parents.
• Maintaining professional development records and “Smart Goals” in the district’s database “My Learning Plan.”
• Using MS and Power Point; maintaining a class webpage; utilizing an Elmo Overhead; and monitoring students when using various learning programs.

REFERENCES: Professional references provided upon request.