London, Canada Metropolitan Area
I am an international trained teacher with 15 years of extensive experience. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Portuguese and English, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education in the area of Cognition, Motor Skills and Multiple Disabilities. I recently became a certified teacher by Ontario College of Teachers. Throughout my career in Portugal I have held different positions, mostly related to teaching, counselling and coordination. As a school counsellor I helped my students gain a stronger understanding of themselves and their potential, acting as a dependable, informative mentor and guide. I have extensive experience working with senior students and through this experience have a well-developed sensitivity to the importance of good communication skills. This understanding has been crucial in managing strong relationships and maximizing team performance. I am a highly motivated individual, well organized, truly passionate about everything I do and have an eagerness to learn. I feel that some of my biggest strengths are my ability to understand the problems and needs of my students and accuracy in the assessment, recommendation and development of effective strategies to help students set up for success. Now that I moved to Canada, I had to face one of the biggest life transitions I have ever made, but I finally found a place I can call home, London. Therefore, I would love to get to know new people and extend my network. That would be an immensely rewarding and enriching experience! I just need someone to give me a chance to prove that I can make a difference! I would appreciate an opportunity to discuss why I truly believe my experience and abilities would be a positive contribution to any team. So, feel free to contact me at [email protected].
- Instructed 6 to 7 classes every school year with an average of 25 students per class through lectures, discussions, group activities, demonstrations and pen pal programs. - Evaluated students’ learning by using various tools, such as questions/discussions, a variety of assignments, homework, rubrics, quizzes, and tests. - Created a trusting atmosphere through sensitivity to students’ strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. - Employed kinesthetic, visual and auditory approaches to make lessons interesting and interactive. - Planned lessons encompassing a range of skill-building activities for speaking, writing, reading and listening; success rate of the students’ oral and written skills improved by 35% in the national exams. - Integrated technology as an instructional tool, including the Smart board. - Engaged in cultural immersion programs with students to further augment global understanding - Organized extracurricular opportunities such as annual speech contests, clubs and field trips. - Coordinated the Health Promoting Schools Program, developing the students’ physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotional well-being, significantly reducing students’ absenteeism by over 60%, increasing their self-esteem, self-consciousness and opportunities for success. - Attended professional development workshops focused on learning goals and classroom management.
- Assisted teachers with the preparation of visual aids and symbols for students with Autism, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. - Conducted small group and individual classroom activities with students based on differentiated learning needs. - Designed and delivered Special Education programming to students with limitations in the area of cognition, motor skills and multiple disabilities in grades 7 through 12. - Developed Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) designed to promote educational, physical and social development, adapted to the students’ unique abilities, needs and interests. - Established Individual Educational Plans (IEP) for students over the age of 14, facilitating their transition from school to work, further education, and/or community living. - Communicated clear objectives for all lessons, units and projects to both students and parents/legal guardians. - Collaborated effectively with multidisciplinary teams in order to best identify and meet the needs of students with disabilities. - Encouraged students to be understanding of others, promoting an Inclusive Education.
- Supervised 58 schools from Prekindergarten to Grade 12 (466 students with special needs) and 54 teachers, and trained teaching assistants as a Special Education Coordinator. - Created a Special Education Unit for 8 Autistic children (TEACCH® Autism Program). - Developed standardized documents to be used by Special Education teachers and filed all information in a database, maximizing resources and time, so that educators and administrators could focus on students.