"I am fun-loving and believe that learning should be fun!! I speak Spanish, I have taken classes in college as well as spent time living with others who speak Spanish.

I completed my Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders in December of 2014 at IPFW. I have previously completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy and Spanish at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA in 2008. During my clinical experience at IPFW, I demonstrated my ability to plan and implement group learning sessions as well as one-on-one reading sessions. I established my role as a leader within a team by planning the last week’s activities, all based on a pirate theme, with the goal to increase reading and writing through the children’s participation. During the completion of my Bachelor of Arts at Evergreen I had the privilege to learn through a collaborative teaching model. The focus of Evergreen’s model is that discussion and sharing of ideas among peers is just as important to the process of understanding the material as lecture from the professors. Having experienced this model of education, it permeates my thought process toward education. When planning lessons and activities I try to build in peer-to-peer learning as well as include myself as a student of my students.

In my work with families, I have been able to balance professional and personable. I have previously worked in the First Steps program, as I held a Spanish speaking Service Coordinator position from 2011- 2012. I have also established my ability to work together with people of all ages and backgrounds by my efforts at the Literacy Coalition of Steuben County and Cahoots Teen Café. As a result of my training in social justice issues, I have respect for people of all socio-economic backgrounds and this shows in the way that I conduct myself interpersonally." less...