Tara Michaels
Montoursville
Summary
Versatile Special Education Teacher with focus on individual student needs across academia and spiritual development. Empathetic and accommodating in design and implementation of hands-on lessons, catering to diverse learning abilities. Proficient in employing constant communication, patience and positive reinforcement in team efforts to deliver exceptional educational tools, fostering spiritual and academic achievement.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Learning Support Specialist
Meadowbrook Christian School
06.2021 - Current
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration.
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs.
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth.
- Partnered with standard education teachers from across academic departments.
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of neurodiverse students.
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule.
- Encouraged students to take ownership of learning by providing choices.
- Coordinated regular meetings to share and analyze student performance data and success plans with colleagues and parents.
- Utilized technology to create meaningful lessons that engage students.
- Improved behavior by modeling positive choices and teaching socially-acceptable options.
- Conducted assessments of students to determine individual needs.
Director of Special Needs Ministry
Community Baptist Church
06.2009 - Current
- Responsible for the development of adult, children, parent and community involvement aspects of the Special Needs Ministry
- Establish a yearly curriculum layout for the adult level ministry on both Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings
- Establish a curriculum layout, reverse inclusion strategies and manage volunteer schedules for the children's level ministry
- Organize and direct a multitude of community events for guests with special needs (children and adults)
- Design layouts, groups and programs that best meet the needs of each individual guest in all programs
- Train and organize leader/volunteer schedules, small groups, etc.
- Teach weekly Bible lessons which include a multitude of different learning modalities when teaching a large group of guests with many individual learning needs
Special Education Teacher
Warrior Run School District
07.2009 - 06.2014
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of multi-leveled students.
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration.
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement.
- Worked in self-contained and resource environments to teach students variety of skills.
- Taught multiple subjects to students on the Autism Spectrum
- Developed and managed instructional materials and reports.
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
Kindergarten Life Skills Teacher (Summer)
BLAST IU17
06.2009 - 07.2009
- Facilitated each student's IEP goals and objectives
- Implemented multiple types of learning styles to meet the unique needs of each individual student
- Organized multiple adult support staff in the classroom
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Special Education, Early Childhood Education
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
Lock Haven, PA05.2009
Skills
- Leadership
- Relationship-Building
- Organization and Time management
- Verbal and written communication
- Planning and Coordination
- Data management
Timeline
Learning Support Specialist
Meadowbrook Christian School
06.2021 - Current
Special Education Teacher
Warrior Run School District
07.2009 - 06.2014
Director of Special Needs Ministry
Community Baptist Church
06.2009 - Current
Kindergarten Life Skills Teacher (Summer)
BLAST IU17
06.2009 - 07.2009
Bachelor of Arts - Special Education, Early Childhood Education
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
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