Erika Leen
Waconia,MN
Summary
Dedicated Special Education Teacher with expertise in individualized education plans and classroom management. Committed to fostering inclusive environments and enhancing student engagement through differentiated instruction. Intuitive to student needs and supporting students with emotional and behavioral regulation by building strong connections with students, teachers and parents to help students achieve their goals.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Special Education Teacher
Waconia Public Schools
Waconia, MN
08.2010 - Current
- Developed individualized education plans to meet diverse student needs.
- Implemented classroom management strategies to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to assess student progress and adapt instructional methods.
- Provided targeted support for students with behavioral challenges, promoting positive social interactions.
- Mentored new special education teachers, sharing best practices and resources for effective instruction.
- Analyzed student data to drive instructional improvements and track behavior/IEP performance trends.
- Advocated for appropriate resources and services, ensuring compliance with educational regulations and standards.
- Developed IEPs tailored to individual student needs, ensuring their academic success and personal growth.
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
- Promoted a positive learning environment through the use of differentiated instruction and individualized support for diverse learners.
- Fostered strong relationships with parents and guardians, maintaining open lines of communication to ensure student progress.
- Improved student behavior management by implementing consistent routines, clear expectations, and positive reinforcement strategies.
- Evaluated student progress regularly using various assessment methods, ensuring accurate measurement of skill development and areas requiring additional support.
- Provided targeted instructional support to struggling learners, identifying specific areas for improvement and designing effective intervention plans.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive support for students with special needs.
- Coordinated with general education teachers to develop accommodations or modifications necessary for successful inclusion of students with special needs in mainstream classrooms.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of neurodiverse students.
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration.
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule.
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth.
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS).
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement.
- Served as a mentor to new teachers, sharing best practices in special education instruction and classroom management techniques.
- Encouraged students to take ownership of learning by providing choices.
- Fostered positive learning environment, reducing classroom disruptions through effective behavior management strategies.
- Developed and executed behavioral intervention plans, leading to decrease in disruptive behaviors and increase in classroom participation.
- Promoted self-advocacy and independence in students with disabilities by teaching self-management and decision-making skills.
- Integrated social skills training into curriculum, facilitating improved peer interactions and social integration.
- Maintained accurate records of student progress and attendance.
Special Education Paraprofessional
Easter Carver County School District
Chanhassen, MN
08.2005 - 06.2010
- Supported individualized education plans (IEPs) to enhance student learning experiences.
- Assisted teachers in implementing effective classroom management strategies.
- Collaborated with special education staff to develop adaptive materials for diverse learning needs.
- Monitored student progress and reported behavioral observations to educators for intervention planning.
- Facilitated communication between students, teachers, and parents to promote academic success.
- Provided one-on-one support during instructional activities to improve engagement and comprehension.
- Implemented strategies for social skills development in group settings to foster peer interactions.
- Developed strong rapport with students by demonstrating empathy, patience, and understanding during daily interactions both inside and outside the classroom setting.
- Managed challenging behaviors using de-escalation techniques to maintain a safe and productive learning environment for all students involved.
- Assisted in the implementation of effective behavior management techniques, resulting in a more focused and positive classroom environment.
- Collaborated with teacher to create customized classroom environment integral to students' needs.
- Monitored student classroom and outdoors activities to promote student safety.
- Maintained positive attitude and affirmatively communicated with each student.
- Interacted physically and verbally with students throughout each day.
- Delivered personalized educational, behavioral, and emotional support to individual students to enable positive learning outcomes.
- Supported teacher in development of individual learning strategies.
- Supported students with various disabilities through one-on-one tutoring sessions, improving their understanding of course materials and concepts.
- Documented student behaviors, interventions, and outcomes to enable lead teacher to address pertinent issues.
- Responded proactively to emerging challenges by adapting instructional strategies as needed, ensuring continuous progress toward established goals for each student''s academic success and personal growth.
- Facilitated social skills development through targeted group activities, promoting positive peer relationships and increased self-confidence among special education students.
- Established professional relationships with parents and other teachers to increase rapport and support.
- Served as a liaison between general education teachers and special education professionals, fostering collaborative relationships that benefited all students involved.
- Promoted a culture of inclusion within the school community by modeling respectful interactions and encouraging open communication among all stakeholders involved in the education of special needs students.
- Understood and acclimated to teacher's routine to provide classroom coverage.
- Worked with students to promote learning and pro-social development.
- Kept open and frequent communication with families to provide regular updates on child's academic progress and individualized needs.
Program Manager
Boys and Gils Club of Central Minnesota
St. Cloud, MN
09.1995 - 02.2004
- Led program development initiatives to enhance youth engagement and community involvement.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to create strategic partnerships and resource-sharing agreements.
- Implemented performance metrics to evaluate program effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
- Mentored staff in best practices for youth programming and operational efficiency.
- Led program development initiatives to enhance youth engagement and participation.
- Oversaw budgeting and resource allocation for multiple programs, ensuring operational efficiency.
- Developed training materials to support staff in delivering high-quality programming for youth.
- Managed and supervised administrative and daily program operations, complying with policies and regulations.
- Managed cross-functional teams for successful project completion within deadlines and budgets.
- Facilitated workshops and conducted one-on-one training to educate team members.
- Conducted comprehensive program evaluations, identifying areas for improvement and recommending actionable solutions.
- Coached team members on professional development opportunities, contributing to improved overall performance.
- Coached team members on productivity strategies to accomplish challenging goals.
- Increased customer satisfaction through effective communication of program goals and expectations.
- Supported members (age 5-12) in our program. Emotional regulation, positive reinforcement strategies, setting expectations and provided quality programming.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Special Education
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, MN05-2010
Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Elective Studies
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud, MN12-1999
Skills
- Differentiated instruction
- Classroom management
- Individual education plans IEPs
- Small group instruction
- Relationship building
- Co-teaching experience
- Lesson planning
- Collaborative teamwork
- Data management
- Positive reinforcement
- Collaborative teaching
- Student engagement
- Visual supports
- Social skills training
- Data collection
- Sensory integration
- Communication strategies
- Progress monitoring
- Emotional disabilities support
- Curriculum adaptation
- Autism spectrum
- Motivating students
- Parent-teacher collaboration
- Social skills development
- Emotional support
- Positive role model
- Trained in CPI
- Parent communication
- Behavior intervention plans
- Student support
- Group and individual instruction
- Behavior modifications
- De-escalation techniques
- Crisis prevention and intervention
- Behavior modification
- Scheduling proficiency
- IEP and BIP implementation
- Excellent classroom management
- Paraprofessional oversight
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving abilities
- Multitasking
- Reliability
- Excellent communication
- Organizational skills
- Active listening
Certification
- Licensed in EBD and ASD
Timeline
Special Education Teacher
Waconia Public Schools
08.2010 - Current
Special Education Paraprofessional
Easter Carver County School District
08.2005 - 06.2010
Program Manager
Boys and Gils Club of Central Minnesota
09.1995 - 02.2004
Bachelor of Arts - Special Education
Bemidji State University
Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Elective Studies
St. Cloud State University