Brenda Calvo
Special Educator
Laurens,SC
Summary
Versatile and dedicated special educator with focus on individual needs of special education students. Empathetic and accommodating in design and implementation of hands-on lessons. Exceptional skills working with teachers, parents and specialists to meet educational needs of students.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Special Education Educator
Laurens District 55 High School
Laurens, SC
08.2010 - Current
- Applied proven strategies to improve students' sensory- and perceptual-motor skills.
- Mentored new middle school and high school teachers on student progress monitoring and legal document preparation.
- Worked closely with parents and guardians to address students' issues on multiple fronts.
- Maintained accurate records of student progress and attendance.
- Utilized technology to create meaningful lessons that engage students.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of diverse students.
- Collaborated with middle school and high school educators to develop instructional strategies.
- Designed individual education plans to encourage student growth according to different learning abilities and needs.
- Increased reading levels 1-4 grade levels
- Increased Individualized Education Plan goal percentages to mastered level of 90-100 %
Special Education Teacher
Hickory Tavern Middle School
Laurens, SC
08.2006 - 05.2010
- Facilitated all core subject small group instruction to address individual learning needs.
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities.
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement.
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
- Taught self-contained students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs.
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule.
- Planned daily activities to keep students engaged and on track with learning goals.
- Monitored student performance to evaluate effectiveness of instructional strategies.
- Worked with students with moderate to severe autism to increase life skills.
- Promoted memory, cognition and language development with hands-on activities and individualized instruction.
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth.
- Increased reading grade levels from 1-4
- Led all core content subjects with increase of percentages on goals and test scores
Education
Masters in Education - Education of Individuals With Multiple Disabilities
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT05.1995
Bachelor of Science - Special Education
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT05.1987
Skills
- Child Development
- Learning Style Assessment
- Special Education Curriculum
- Group and Individual Instruction
- Educational Strategies
- IEP Goals
- Middle School Education
- Special Education
- Positive Learning Environment
- Life Skills Development
- Parent Communication
- Motivating Students
- Individualized Lesson Plans
- Teacher Training
- Small Group Instruction
Accomplishments
- Trained fellow teachers on the procedures for completing Individual Education Plans.
- Practicum teacher mentor
- Achieved Reading2Succeed literacy teacher status credit by completing 5 courses with accuracy and efficiency.
- Reading Teacher of the Year 2017
- Teacher of the Year 2008-2009
Certification
- Teaching - Professional, South Carolina - 07-01-2020 - 06-30-2025
Additional Information
Reading to Succeed Literacy Teacher
Reading Teacher of the Year 2017
Teacher of the Year 2008-2009
Timeline
Special Education Educator
Laurens District 55 High School
08.2010 - Current
Special Education Teacher
Hickory Tavern Middle School
08.2006 - 05.2010
Masters in Education - Education of Individuals With Multiple Disabilities
Central Connecticut State University
Bachelor of Science - Special Education
Central Connecticut State University
- Teaching - Professional, South Carolina - 07-01-2020 - 06-30-2025
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