734-578-7266 aliciaarmstrong.weebly.com aarmstrong504@my.madonna.edu ALICIA ARMSTRONG OBJECTIVE Interested in a school that utilizes best practice in a diverse and inclusive public district. An environment where teachers work in professional learning communities to secure a strong and united curriculum. SKILLS & ABILITIES Strong passion to motivate and support young learners during early years of education. Advocate for emergent literacy and helping students use the tools and strategies they need to be successful. Variety of experience in inclusive settings as well as self-contained classrooms with a range of exceptionalities. EXPERIENCE LIVONIA LITTLES TOTS CHILD CARE CENTER October 2008- November 2011 Teacher assistant working with students 3 years to 5 years old. Worked with toddlers and preschoolers in small group and large group settings. Created teacher directed and independent lesson plans that were developmentally appropriate and promoted independence in the classroom. Worked as summer camp leader with children ages 5-8 from June-August. Chaperoned field trips and created summer activities that involved all campers and promoted socialization. ST. MARYS CHILD CARE CENTER November 2011- June 2014 Worked as an Assistant Teacher with children ages 6 weeks old to 5 years old. Assisted lead teacher in infant/toddler classrooms with daily tasks and being primary caregiver for 4 children each day. Responsible for each individuals daily needs and discussing their day with the parent or caregiver. Worked in preschool room with children ages 3-4 planning and implementing lesson plans that meet each milestone. Gave assessments and tracked students progress through data from beginning to end of school Page 2 year. Preschool Practicum Completed a preschool practicum where I created weekly lesson plans based upon a goal for 100 hours. Assessed students and provided parents with feedback on letter, number, color, and shape recognition. Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center Garden City Public Schools Assisted kindergarten teacher with daily classroom routines, circle time, small and whole group activities. Helped administer the first assessment to all students which consisted of letter, number, color recognition as well as writing their name. St. Edith Elementary School Livonia Public Schools Assisted the teacher with both 3 rd and 4 th grade students. Led religion activities and discussion for 4 th grade. Worked in small group with 4 th grade students on science experiments and test preparation. Created a science homework assignment using 6 different strategies to review for unit test. Administered grammar lesson and graded homework for 3 rd grade language arts. Lathers Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center Garden City Public Schools Assisted lead teacher and para-professionals with supporting 6 severely impaired kindergartners. Learned how to work with each individual students needs and research ways to better support their disability. Worked with each student individually on iPad exercises as well as peg boards. Kennedy Elementary School Livonia Public Schools Assisted teacher in a 2 nd /3 rd combination class. Worked in a variety of small group activities with both 2 nd and 3 rd grade. Led 2 nd grade small group math using the Everyday Math curriculum. Led a lesson on mean, median, and mode using dry erase boards for formative assessment. Led writers Page 3 workshop for both 2 nd and 3 rd grade where I modeled how to write about a favorite memory and then students wrote about their favorite memory and shared out. Created and implemented a mini lesson aligned with common core that focused on retelling. Created a classroom anchor chart describing the five steps in the retelling process. I read a story to the class and had student volunteers use the tools from the anchor chart to retell it back to me. During writers workshop I had students retell the books they are reading from their book boxes and volunteers shared out to the class. Kennedy Elementary School Livonia Public Schools I had the opportunity to participate in a 2 day workshop focusing on the 7 Healthy Habits of Effective people. During the workshop, I worked with other teachers at Kennedy on a variety of group work. We brainstormed ways to integrate these 7 habits into the classroom and help students become more effective. This workshop focused on finding how each student can be a leader in his or her own way. Its important to find each students special qualities and let them shine in the classroom. Students Helping Students I was chosen to be a summer tutor in the students helping students program sponsored by the Kurt foundation. This is a three week program that helps students prevent summer reading loss. This program gave me the opportunity to become a reading coach to five students, two kindergartners and two first graders. Using a running record, I assessed all five students to see what their current reading level was and what specific areas they need to strengthen. Each day I create specific lesson plans that focus on those weaker areas found in assessment. Each day we work on sight words, specific reading strategies, new vocabulary, guided reading groups, word work, and guided writing. I continued to track progress throughout the program and gave a final assessment at the end. Each week I created a newsletter for parents that shared the activities and progress their child made that week as well as strategies for them to use at home.
Kennedy Elementary Professional Development Attended a workshop on the 7 Healthy Habits and the Leader In Me. Worked cooperatively with staff members, brainstorming ideas on how to implement Page 4 these habits into the classroom and use them on a daily basis. Learned strategies on how to make each student feel like a leader and let their strengths and talents shine in the classroom.
EDUCATION SCHOOLCRAFT COLLEGE September 2008- April 2011 Associates Degree in Liberal Arts MADONNA UNIVERSITY September 2011- January 2015 Bachelors Degree in Comprehensive Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education with ZS Endorsement. LEADERSHIP Madonna Early Childhood Club Secretary Responsible for communicating and updating club members on meetings and events. Working coercively with officers to participate in volunteer work and charity events. Volunteered at club fundraisers and put on a series of holiday events at First Step Domestic Abuse Shelter in Wayne, MI. Donated blankets, books, and stuffed animals to Project Night-Night Read stories to Head Start classrooms at Jubilee Christian Church Attended MAEYC Conference in Grand Rapids for Early Childhood Read stories and created a craft with kindergarten students at Ann Arbor Magnet School Donated pajamas and gifts bags to Kindergarten classroom at Ann Arbor Magnet School
Ford Community Corps Page 5 Education Team Member Worked with a team to create and implement family based events at First Step Domestic Abuse Shelter in Wayne, MI. Created four events that gave the mothers an enjoyable evening with their children. Harvest Party: Games and crafts based upon Thanksgiving Holiday Party: Luau theme stations for mothers and kids. Movie Night: Mothers and children eat popcorn and make crafts while watching Despicable Me. Spring Party: Mothers and children plant flowers and paint pots while eating ice cream sundaes.
Kappa Delta Pi Member of Educational Honor Society Participated in volunteer projects: Reading to elementary students during reading month Donating books to lower income schools during reading month