Danielle Portillo Morales
International Montessori Academy
Mesa,AZ
21
years of professional experience
Dedicated educator with 28 years of experience nurturing children's growth and supporting skill development across diverse educational settings, including public, early childhood, and Montessori education. Proven ability to implement innovative teaching methods that enhance student engagement and promote individualized learning. Expertise in managing classroom dynamics with a tactful approach to behavioral challenges, ensuring a positive and constructive environment. Strong commitment to fostering partnerships with families to create a collaborative and supportive learning atmosphere that encourages creativity and independence.
Work History
Montessori Teacher
3 Months- Prepared classroom and materials according to montessori pedagogy and needs of children.
- Established inspiring classroom setting with systems and procedures that managed student behavior, movement and learning.
- Guided children to resolve disagreements and documented issues, incidents and behavior problems for appropriate follow-up.
- Conducted conferences to establish and maintain consistent and clear communication with parents.
- Helped new preschool children get used to classes by giving one-on-one support.
- Designed and implemented individualized learning plans for diverse student needs.
- Cultivated a nurturing classroom environment to promote student engagement and creativity.
- Collaborated with parents to support child development and address educational concerns.
- Promoted a culture of collaboration, curiosity, empathy, respect within the classroom setting by modeling these values during interactions with students.
- Increased parental involvement in their child''s education by maintaining open communication channels and hosting parent-teacher conferences regularly.
- Supported the social, emotional, and academic growth of each student through consistent encouragement, guidance, and feedback.
- Fostered a love for learning in students by consistently introducing new and engaging topics for exploration.
- Developed and implemented individualized learning plans for diverse student needs.
Kindergarten Bilingual Teacher
12 Years 10 Months- Designing Kindergarten lesson plans for both English and Spanish curriculum
- Organizing the classroom, manipulatives, learning materials, work centers and resources
- Administering the KDA, Kindergarten Developmental Assessment 3 times a year for each student
- Planning centers
- SEI testing
- Arranged parent-teacher conferences to address student progress and collaboratively set goals for areas of improvement.
- Delivered structured lessons on readiness skills by emphasizing phonics, language skills, literature and handwriting.
- Collaborated in planning, organizing and implementing instructional programs to facilitate academic, intellectual and social development.
- Observed and assessed student performance and charted progress.
- Integrated outdoor education into lesson plans.
- Delegated tasks to teacher assistants and school volunteers.
- Exercised good classroom management focused on positive behavior support by clearly articulating fair and consistent expectations along with appropriate natural consequences.
- Reported to parents and administration about student progress.
Program Manager
16 Years 3 Months- Overseeing the Sunday Friends Weekly program
- Planning events, projects, shopping events
- Overseeing drive collections for items like basic necessities, back to school supplies and gift items for special events
- Editing weekly announcements
- Orchestrated smooth and efficient program development by collaborating cross-functionally across departments.
- Resolved problems and provided solutions to families by communicating requirements.
- Devised tools and benchmarks to improve team performance and monitor programs.
- Supported volunteers by providing training, mentoring, developing and delivering resources and identifying and cultivating partnerships to support volunteers.
- Recruited and trained new volunteers on volunteer program goals and objectives.
- Screened volunteers applying for service, interviewing, reviewing application documents and running background checks on prospective volunteers.
- Managed volunteer calendar and verified coverage of key roles during volunteer unavailability.
- Developed volunteer policies and procedures, codes of conduct and volunteer standards.
- Uncovered opportunities for volunteer program improvement by soliciting staff feedback and evaluating volunteer performance.
- Met with staff and department managers to maintain currency on volunteer opportunities within each department.
- Led cross-functional teams to implement community engagement programs, enhancing service delivery efficiency.
Kindergarten/1st Grade Teacher
1 Year 11 Months- Designing Kindergarten and 1st grade lesson plans using the Common Core curriculum
- Organizing the classroom, manipulatives, learning materials, work centers and resources
- Teaching Music, PE and Art
- Planning centers
- Administering Standardized tests
Education
Early-Childhood Diploma - Early Childhood Education
Bachelor of Science - Elementary Ed, Spanish
Certificate of Completion - Spanish
Skills
Proficient with: Windows
Word
PowerPoint
Adobe Acrobat
Many virtual Work Processes
such as Zoom
Google Meets
Small group instruction
Teacher and Administrator Collaboration
Communicating with Parents and Teachers
Facilitating Online Learning
Supervising Classroom Activities
Montessori materials knowledge
Patience and empathy
Practical life skills
Classroom management skills
Timeline
Montessori Teacher
International Montessori Academy
09.2022 - 12.2022Read More
Kindergarten Bilingual Teacher
Puente De Hozho Elementary School
11.2009 - 09.2022Read More
Program Manager
Sunday Friends Foundation
07.2003 - 10.2019Read More
Kindergarten/1st Grade Teacher
Stratford School
07.2001 - 06.2003Read More
NAMC North American Montessori Center
Early-Childhood Diploma from Early Childhood Education
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NORTHERN AZ UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Science from Elementary Ed, Spanish
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El Centro Bilingue
Certificate of Completion from Spanish
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