Abigail Wheetley
Carbondale ,IL
Summary
Student-focused educator with a passion for mentoring students and creating access to resources and opportunity.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Special Education Classroom Aide
Aspire Academy
Murphysboro, IL
08.2024 - Current
- Maintained focused, inclusive and supportive learning environments.
- Kept students safe in classroom and outside environments.
- Handled clerical duties, managed classrooms and coordinated documents for teachers.
- Offered students personalized educational, behavioral and emotional support.
- Assisted in developing and implementing lesson plans under teacher's supervision.
- Utilized educational technology to engage students and support interactive learning.
- Maintained a safe and organized classroom environment conducive to learning.
- Compiled and organized educational materials for easy access during lessons.
Arts and Humanities Instructor
Southern New Hampshire State University
10.2016 - Current
- Instructs students in varied subjects such as introductory level college composition, creative writing, and research and persuasion
- Guides students in their engagement of critical thought through individualized feedback
- Designs and presents compelling educational materials to engage students at different academic levels
- Manages and monitors the academic progress of students, connecting struggling individuals with necessary on-campus support
- Provides guidance on accessing relevant information about academic and personal support services
- Ensures the accuracy and completeness of student records for more than 25 students per semester.
Student Success Advisor
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, Georgia
02.2023 - 06.2024
- Provides guidance and assistance to students on their journey towards a degree in the arts field.
- Collaborated with students to ensure their academic progress and graduation, focusing on professional growth
- Collaborated as part of a dedicated team to deliver exceptional and well-informed service to students in the building arts
- Communicates and articulates financial aid and scholarship opportunities to students
- Creates guidance and opportunity to students planning on studying abroad and assists them in the task of sequencing and planning academically for these experiences
- Participates in early workshops and orientations for incoming and transfer students
- Regularly outreaches and engages with students who need information or access to resources
- Works closely with parents and families in a collaborative fashion to resolve issues and answer questions
- Teaches a first year experience class that applies policy and pedagogy to the student experience
- Provides access to information, cultural experience, and opportunity.
Children's Librarian
Anne West Lindsey District Library
Carterville, IL
08.2022 - 02.2023
- Brainstormed and coordinated hands-on crafts and other children's activities.
- Attended to circulation desk by checking books in and out, issuing library cards, placing holds and more.
- Communicated with classroom teachers to plan library visits.
- Helped children select and locate age-appropriate books and educational materials.
- Inspected collection and discarded outdated or worn books and resources.
- Researched, selected and obtained children's books and materials.
- Coordinated after-school and weekend youth programs.
- Directed library tours to familiarize groups with layout, materials and technology available.
- Researched questions and concerns from customers.
- Developed and enforced circulation policies and procedures.
- Supervised and trained library staff and volunteers, enhancing team performance and service quality.
- Organized library equipment and collections.
- Reshelved books to maintain neat and tidy reading area.
- Managed budget and financial resources, ensuring optimal allocation towards library services and collection development.
- Led community outreach initiatives, fostering strong relationships between the library and local organizations.
- Fostered a welcoming and inclusive library environment, encouraging community participation and lifelong learning.
TRIO Advisor and Transfer Specialist
John A. Logan Community College
Carterville, Illinois
08.2019 - 09.2022
- Directly mentored promising students from vulnerable populations
- Collaborated with students to identify transfer and employment opportunities aligning with their personal and academic objectives
- Developed online and in-person workshops to educate students on information literacy, time management, and study skills
- Actively collaborated with various college departments to address and remove barriers to success for students
- Provided access to information, cultural experience, and opportunity
Assistant Professor of Practice
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois
08.2017 - 05.2019
- Successfully instructed multiple sections of a First Year Experience Course based on a shared syllabus and pedagogical theory
- Mentored students directly regarding personal, professional, and academic goals
- Worked in close collaboration with campus resources to create opportunity and access for students
- Created retention-opportunity by solving student problems and implementing ongoing solutions
- Engaged students in lectures by encouraging sharing of opinions and group interactions
- Developed curriculum in alignment with school standards
- Used multiple teaching styles to meet learning needs of each individual student
- Mentored and assisted with student-centered activities on campus to establish professional relationships
- Held office hours to discuss grades, assignments and tests with students
Information Materials Library Specialist
Kent Library, Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
08.2015 - 08.2017
- Instructed students on research techniques and the use of information technologies via reference desk, tours, and outreach opportunities
- Located print and online materials for students completing research projects
- Promoted the library and library services through social media efforts
- Coordinated and created outreach initiatives that resulted in increased use of materials and direct library instruction to students
- Created and ongoing readers' advisory efforts as a way to enhance future libguides, guide patron experience, and further understand the collection as a whole
- Checked in, checked out and renewed library materials using Sierra
- Trained student workers in Dewey, basic customer service, and duties pertaining to the circulation desk
- Resolved patrons' complaints tactfully and professionally
- Scheduled and coordinated the use of library equipment
- Served on library committees dedicated to web development, social media, and outreach initiatives.
Smarthink Tutor
Pearson Education
Iowa City, Iowa
06.2016 - 01.2017
- Trained to create lessons based on assignment content and student work
- Uses handbook, manual, and other resources provided by Pearson to enhance and format feedback to students
- Uses critical thought questions to further students' understanding of material.
Information Literacy Instructor
Ashford University
10.2014 - 10.2016
- Taught courses in Information Literacy to an all-ages college classroom
- Developed and delivered engaging lectures to undergraduate students using current online technology
- Created teachable moments in discussion and assignment feedback
- Monitored students' academic progress and referred students who were struggling to campus resources.
Blogger
Books Tell You Why
12.2015 - 06.2016
- Updated digital media with snappy, timely content
- Wrote and edited blog posts related to books, writing, history, and literature
- Did independent research using reliable academic sources on a variety of topics and created themes and direction for articles based on research findings
- Located photographs for blogs with attention to copyright restrictions.
Information Services Library Specialist
Southern Illinois University, Morris Library
Carbondale, Illinois
10.2013 - 08.2015
- Instructed students on research techniques and the use of information technologies
- Provided reference services in person, on the phone, and via online chat service
- Created specific access to materials by the creation of LibGuides on a variety of subjects
- Resolved patrons' complaints tactfully and professionally
- Located print and online materials for students completing research projects
- Created a strong social media presence for the library using Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
- Created original outreach programming for the library
- Served on committees dedicated to outreach and publicity.
Cliffs Notes Writer
Wiley Publishing
04.2011 - 01.2015
- Created Cliffs Notes study guides for significant literary works
- Interacted with a publisher and editor to create synopsis, analysis, and character guides for readers and students.
Adjunct Instructor
Rend Lake Community College
Ina, Illinois
05.2014 - 07.2014
- Educated students on the topic of reading and writing for college through in-class lectures and classroom activities
- Used measurable outcomes and assessment tools to modify and create lessons
- Increased the level of critical thought, basic composition skills, and research strategies.
Instructional Aide
Options
Carbondale, Illinois
08.2012 - 10.2013
- Instructed up to 20 students with complex learning disabilities individually and in groups
- Set up lesson materials, bulletin board displays and demonstrations
- Promoted physical, mental and social development by implementing classroom games and outdoor recreational activities, with the diverse needs of the student body taken into consideration
- Adapted teaching methods and materials to meet students' varying special needs and interests
- Met regularly with parents and guardians to discuss children's progress
- Observed and evaluated students' performance, behavior, social development and physical health
- Supervised an average of 20 students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, schoolyards and on field trips
- Planned and implemented creative lessons in accordance with district, county, state and federal guidelines
- Completed and filed all necessary paperwork for classroom activities, including meal count sheets and attendance logs
- Encouraged students with special academic interests to fully pursue those subjects.
Assistant Archivist
Southern Illinois University, Morris Library
Carbondale, Illinois
05.2009 - 06.2011
- Researched, planned and set up informative library exhibits
- Worked with both small and large collections, utilizing information and materials to organize extensive groups of documents
- Created EAD finding aids in accordance to archival standards
- Created metadata and digital records using Content dm
- Promoted Special Collections by producing events and outreach efforts.
Education
Master of Science - Library Science
University of Illinois
01.2013
Master of Arts - Creative Writing
Southern Illinois University
01.2009
Bachelor of Arts - English
Southern Illinois University
01.2005
Skills
- Youth Programming
- Multimedia integration
- Student Engagement
- Cultural Competency
- Student assessment
- Special Needs Support
- Creativity and Innovation
- Library Instruction
- Automated Library Systems
- Interlibrary loaning
- Community Engagement
- Strong oral and written communication skills
Publications
Other People's Letters: Simulating Archival Intimacy Through Theater. Journal of Academic Librarianship. Print. June 2015
Timeline
Special Education Classroom Aide
Aspire Academy
08.2024 - Current
Student Success Advisor
Savannah College of Art and Design
02.2023 - 06.2024
Children's Librarian
Anne West Lindsey District Library
08.2022 - 02.2023
TRIO Advisor and Transfer Specialist
John A. Logan Community College
08.2019 - 09.2022
Assistant Professor of Practice
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
08.2017 - 05.2019
Arts and Humanities Instructor
Southern New Hampshire State University
10.2016 - Current
Smarthink Tutor
Pearson Education
06.2016 - 01.2017
Blogger
Books Tell You Why
12.2015 - 06.2016
Information Materials Library Specialist
Kent Library, Southeast Missouri State University
08.2015 - 08.2017
Information Literacy Instructor
Ashford University
10.2014 - 10.2016
Adjunct Instructor
Rend Lake Community College
05.2014 - 07.2014
Information Services Library Specialist
Southern Illinois University, Morris Library
10.2013 - 08.2015
Instructional Aide
Options
08.2012 - 10.2013
Cliffs Notes Writer
Wiley Publishing
04.2011 - 01.2015
Assistant Archivist
Southern Illinois University, Morris Library
05.2009 - 06.2011
Master of Science - Library Science
University of Illinois
Master of Arts - Creative Writing
Southern Illinois University
Bachelor of Arts - English
Southern Illinois University
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