AMBER Diefendorf

I am a dedicated faculty member at Daytona State College’s School of Education, where I play a key role in preparing future educators. I am currently revising multiple Fall 2024 courses for the first cohort of the TAP/GYO program, creating new online sections with updated assignments for EEX 4265, EEX 4070, and EEX 4221. Within my first six months, I successfully completed my second master’s degree in Exceptional Student Education and finished all required DSC CITL trainings, including the entire Online Faculty Training Series and Quality Matters. In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I manage all SOE social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (X), ensuring weekly updates and engagement with students and the community. I collaborated with faculty to establish the first Florida Future Educators Association (FFEA) chapter at DSC and attended the FLDOE FFEA Conference to recruit prospective students. I also represent the School of Education at DSC open house events and serve as the primary faculty advisor for the Para-to-ESE Teacher program, where I actively recruit students and provide guidance to paraprofessionals in partner schools.

• Planning and delivering effective instruction across various subjects for 4th and 5th grade special needs students, assessing and monitoring progress, creating Individual Education Plans, managing classroom behaviors, and providing individualized support and intervention for each child
• To prepare my students for middle school, I have created my own unique hybrid style class utilizing the online program Canvas through Volusia County Schools
• I have also assisted this entire school year with data collection, teacher support, writing IEP's, printing and collecting lesson materials, and writing lesson plans for a K-2 multi classroom that has a teacher vacancy and dependent on substitutes
• I also did this for the K-1st grade VE Mild unit last school year as they also had a vacancy and depended on substitutes
• I wanted to ensure that the students did not miss out on valuable academic time and the students were regularly progress monitored
• I volunteered to do this on my own accord and did so with no incentive other than wanting to support the children

• Planning and delivering effective instruction across various subjects for 3rd through 5th grade special needs students, assessing and monitoring progress, creating Individual Education Plans, managing classroom behaviors, and providing individualized support and intervention for each child
• I was the third teacher for that class in a year and I had to completely revamp the class expectations and behavior management procedures

• As the Lead Teacher it was my responsibility to communicate with parents, design curriculum for varying stages of infant development, order and manage classroom supplies, and work out a schedule for the three other teachers within the classroom
• As there was no infant curriculum, I created my own including teaching sign language, teaching letter name/sound and number recognition, and working on social/emotional development appropriate for children ages 8 weeks to one year