Christopher Howell
Charlottesville,VA
Summary
A motivated educator, instructional coach, and writer with valuable classroom experience in co-teaching, multiage, upper elementary education, creating curricular resources, and developing student centered Planning Learning Communities. Focused on research based practices and developing a mindset that allows all students, from all demographics, to thrive and succeed. An effective leader that helps provide teachers and students with the necessary tools to achieve their academic or professional goals.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Instructional Coach
Albemarle County Public Schools
08.2022 - Current
- Coached teachers to improve practices through reflection, professional development and modeling instructional strategies.
- Met diverse student population needs by planning and implementing lessons with wide variety of teaching strategies.
- Developed staff members' attitudes, skills, and knowledge through various professional development targeted topics.
- Analyzed student data, diagnosed instructional needs and identified research-based instructional strategies.
- Maintained confidentiality while building positive relationships with colleagues and administrators.
- Worked with Albemarle County Public Schools (in partnership with the University of Virginia and the Jefferson Museum) through our Reframing the Narrative Initiative to create inquiry lessons and enriching materials to boost student knowledge, engagement, and meet our counties goal of creating Virginia Studies material that encompasses a complete look at history aligned with our standards.
- Designed engaging lessons, using art and visual aids to enhance learning process.
- Integrated technology into sessions to further enhance student learning.
Contract Writer
Southern Poverty Law Center, Learning For Justice
12.2022 - Current
- Enhanced client satisfaction by delivering high-quality written content tailored to their needs.
- Collaborated with diverse teams to develop cohesive messaging for various projects.
- Conducted thorough research to ensure accuracy and relevancy in all written materials.
- Managed multiple writing projects simultaneously while maintaining strict deadlines, optimizing productivity and efficiency.
- Edited and proofread work to ensure a polished final product, enhancing the publications reputation for excellence.
- Adapted writing styles according to specific industry requirements, demonstrating versatility and knowledge across various sectors.
- Created content for websites and online publications.
- Produced original and creative content.
Board of Directors Member
African American Teaching Fellows
01.2024 - Current
- Guided organization through periods of change by providing strong leadership during transitions and restructures.
- Cultivated key partnerships with stakeholders to support organization growth objectives.
- Advised executive management on critical decisions, contributing to the achievement of annual revenue targets.
- Supported talent acquisition efforts by serving as an ambassador for the organization at industry events and conferences.
- Managed and planned social activities to encourage program engagement.
- Reviewed outcomes and metrics to evaluate performance, effectiveness and impact.
- Collaborated with other board members and organization fellows on advisory teams to execute programs and advance organizational mission.
- Monitored financial metric and provided strategic direction to support financial stability.
Teacher
Albemarle County Public Schools
08.2017 - 07.2022
- Helped pilot and facilitate multiage classrooms and open space pods at Woodbrook Elementary that averaged around 35 students.
- Created and implemented engaging lessons and projects to help students meet statewide standards.
- Learned to master co-teaching methods to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement.
- Engaged in research based professional development to improve my mastery of content areas, my understanding of children's cognitive development, classroom management, and my effectiveness as a leader.
- Led multiple grade level Professional Learning Communities.
- Engaged in professional development around Professional Learning Communities.
- Attended weekly meetings to help improve our school, student achievement, and collective efficacy amongst our staff.
- Planned and executed field trips that helped improve student mastery of content and gain exposure to the material.
- Planned project based learning experiences that helped students connect their learning to the greater community around them, while also helping them master statewide standards (specifically math).
- Written grants to provide students with resources that reflected the demographics of the class and our school community as a whole.
- Communicated frequently with parents, students and faculty to provide feedback and discuss instructional strategies.
- Held conferences and home visits with parents to address questions, discuss academic progress and encourage learning goals.
- Graded and evaluated student assignments, papers and course work to help inform my daily groups and a path forward with instruction.
- Supported student teachers by mentoring on classroom management, lesson planning and activity organization.
- Implemented creative ways to foster curiosity for complex principles through hands-on learning and planned activities.
- Engaged in county based professional development to help align myself with the vision of Albemarle County Schools and improve my understanding of specific content areas.
Teacher
Enoch Baptist Church Christian Academy
09.2014 - 06.2015
- Delivered creative stations and lessons to an average of 10 students between the ages of 4 and 5.
- Communicated frequently with parents, students and faculty to provide feedback and discuss instructional strategies.
- Planned and implemented integrated lessons to meet national and school based standards.
- Supervised learning groups of students in classroom stations.
- Implemented multiple musical and art related activities to engage students and support their mastery of learning targets.
Education
Master of Teaching - Elementary Education
Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA05.2017
Bachelor of Arts - English
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA05.2014
Skills
- Improving Instructional Quality
- Increasing Teacher Capacity
- Student Engagement
- Co-teaching
- Leadership
- Differentiated Instruction
- Knowledge of Adult Learners
- Reflection
- Gathering, Analyzing, & Responding to data
Accomplishments
Elected as Member, Board of Directors, African American Teaching Fellows Description: A Charlottesville specific non-profit organization that mentors and supports college students and graduate level Black educators on their journey to becoming tenured educators in surrounding school districts. (2023-current)
Achieved the implementation of affinity groups in our county focused on the retention of educators of color after months long collaboration and professional development with a team of five Black male educators. (2023-current)
Collaborated with a team of teachers and county leadership in the development of new Virginia Studies Inquiries, curricular resources that were then adopted as our county's guaranteed viable curriculum. This was developed in partnership with the Jefferson Museum through a "Reframing the Narrative" initiative. (2022)
Won Shannon Grant through the Edgar and Eleanor Shannon Foundation for my proposal "Windows, Mirrors, and the Sliding Glass Door" (2020)
Gates Millennium Scholar through The Gates Foundation (2010-present)
Publications
To Sustain the Tough Conversations, Active Listening Must Be the Norm, Learning for Justice (2020)
Description: An online article published through the SPLC focusing on how we as teachers "...prepare students-and ourselves-to communicate, question, and work our way through a disconnect when the outside world spills into our classroom".
The Shoebox Lunch, Learning for Justice Magazine (Issue 4, Spring 2023)
Description: A fiction story published in the annual print magazine of LFJ with themes of resistance and resilience, focused on exposing readers to "shoebox lunches", a niche piece of African American history that followed the publication's goal of highlighting the "deep rooted legacies of power and justice...in the South".
Timeline
Board of Directors Member
African American Teaching Fellows
01.2024 - Current
Contract Writer
Southern Poverty Law Center, Learning For Justice
12.2022 - Current
Instructional Coach
Albemarle County Public Schools
08.2022 - Current
Teacher
Albemarle County Public Schools
08.2017 - 07.2022
Teacher
Enoch Baptist Church Christian Academy
09.2014 - 06.2015
Master of Teaching - Elementary Education
Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
Bachelor of Arts - English
University of Virginia
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