Joanna Van Volkenburg

1004 Kruger Avenue Erie, PA 16509 (814) 572-6142 jrvanvolkenburg@gmail.com

Summary
Professional Teacher with Standard Certificate in Elementary and Special Education in Maryland and Pennsylvania
Taught in high need, low income, inner city elementary school in Baltimore for three years and Erie for one year
Taught English as a Second Language to students in China
Accomplishments
School Improvement Plan Committee
Selected as a member of the school improvement plan committee in order to rewrite
implementation steps for the school for the next three years
Erie Insurance Tutoring School Lead
Worked with committee lead from Erie Insurance in order to develop a tutoring program
Erie Insurance employees tutored Pfeiffer Burleigh students for thirty minutes per week
Liaison between the outside community member and school in order to ensure program ran
successfully every week
Instructional Leadership Team
Member of the instructional leadership team to represent third grade and other committees

September 2014-Present

September 2014-Present

January 2015-Present

School Based Mentor

Initiated individualized goals as outlined in policies and best practices
Supported fellow teachers and provided leadership
Conducted classroom observations on a monthly basis and identified action steps
Collaborated with administration in expediting best practices in individual classrooms
Served as a resource to evaluate the schools continuous improvement plan

August 2013-Present

Christmas Sponsor Program

Developed marketing and outreach program to independently fund Christmas for my low-income
students and their siblings. The first year (2012) I collected over $1700 and $3800 in 2013. These
donations were used to ensure each student received a college t-shirt, sweatshirt, socks, a book, toy,
toothbrush and toothpaste, art supplies, a board game and, as needed, blankets and extra clothing

December 2012, 2013

Donors Choose
Successfully marketed and undertook three fundraising projects totaling over $1900 in supplies for my
2011-2013 classrooms from Donorschoose.org. The supplies obtained included math, language arts,
and writing materials to supplement the inability of the school to provide the necessary supplies for
teachers and students due to local funding constraints.
Relevant Experience
General Education Teacher, City of Erie (Erie, PA)
August 2015-Present
General education teacher at Pfeiffer Burleigh Elementary School, a Title 1 inner city school
Participated in a highly selective and rigorous interview process and committed to a three year
agreement in order move the school from the bottom five percent of the state and push student growth
Responsible for implementation of PA common core in all content areas
General Education Teacher, Baltimore City (Baltimore, MD)
General education teacher for thirty-seven second graders at Franklin Square Elementary Middle
School, a Title 1 inner city school.
Responsible for implementing common core literacy, math, science, social studies, and health daily

August 2013-June 2014

Special Education Teacher, Baltimore City (Baltimore, MD)

Elementary self-contained and resource Special Education teacher for 19 students
Taught all subject areas in a K-5 self-contained classroom with LRE-A and B students pushing in
without a Para-educator
Case Manager for all Pre-K-5 students in the elementary school
Responsible for third party billing and indirect service activities
Administered the Brigance, Woodcock Johnson, and YCAT informal/formal assessments

August 2011-June 2013

Summer School General Education Teacher, Baltimore City (Baltimore, MD)

Summer school teacher for eighteen rising general education first grade students in 2012 and
twenty-two rising second graders in 2013
Responsible for teaching language arts, written language, and science
Gained valuable understanding of how to implement best practices in a general versus
special education setting
Baltimore City Teaching Residency (Baltimore, MD)
Admitted to a highly selective cohort of recent college graduates and career changers committed
to raising student achievement in Baltimores highest need schools
Participated in a six week summer training institute, including a four week student teaching experience
Undertook intensive skill based classes to learn teaching practices for addressing economically
disadvantaged and low performing students in an inner city setting
English Teacher, Aston English Schools (Jinan, China)
English teacher, responsible for the education of more than 200 children and fourteen classes
per week for Chinese students learning English as their second language
Immersed in a non-Westernized, Asian city where I adapted to local customs, cuisine, and social
norms, while at the same time furthering my understanding of Chinese culture and language with a
goal of applying my learned knowledge and first hand experience in the context of employment
Traveled throughout China and Southeast Asia to expand personal knowledge of other cultures and
appreciation for Asian culture
Gained valuable understanding of differentiated educational methodology in a foreign country and
developed skills for educating children of diverse backgrounds and cultures
Education
Westminster College (Erie, PA)
Obtaining Masters of Education and PA Principal Certification
Baltimore City Teaching Residency (Baltimore, MD)
Elementary and Special Education Teaching for Results Yearlong Seminar
Elementary Literacy Teaching for Results Yearlong Seminar
The TEFL Institute Online Coursework (Chicago, IL)
120-hour TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certification
Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA)
Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Arts
Bachelor of Arts in Advertising

July 2012, 2013

June-August 2011

March 2010-August 2010

September 2014-Present
July 2011- June 2013

November 2009
May 2009