Heather Folz
Apopka,FL
After driving I-4 for many, many years, I learned one thing and I have tried to live it: Be Confident and Be Kind!
Heather Folz
Summary
As someone who worked in the same setting for multiple years, I have become knowledgeable in many areas that deal with children with special needs. I also spent many years volunteering at Give Kids the World interacting and gaining much experience building personal relationships with children, and families of children, with exceptional needs. I have found that experience for me was much more beneficial for me in my line of work. Building personal relationships is a must, in my eyes and heart, in order to have successful interactions with children who have special needs.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Special Educator
Osceola School District
08.2006 - 07.2023
- Enhanced individualized learning plans by incorporating student interests and developing customized activities.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive educational programs for students with disabilities.
- Improved student engagement by implementing creative, hands-on learning approaches and modifying curriculum materials.
- Supported the development of social skills in students through group activities and peer interactions.
- Established strong relationships with parents and caregivers, promoting collaborative efforts for student success.
- Facilitated positive behavior support systems to enhance classroom management and promote a conducive learning environment.
- Implemented data-driven decision-making processes to monitor student progress and refine instructional methods accordingly.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments to identify specific learning needs and inform instructional strategies.
- Delivered differentiated instruction to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities within the classroom setting.
- Mentored new special education teachers by sharing best practices, providing feedback on lesson plans, and offering guidance on classroom management techniques.
- Coordinated specialized services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling for students requiring additional support.
- Attended professional development workshops to stay current on innovative teaching practices in special education settings.
- Designed multi-modal lessons that incorporated visual aids, auditory tools, kinesthetic activities, and tactile resources for optimal accessibility of content material.
- Served as a resource for other educators seeking information on specific disabilities or accommodations necessary to meet individual learner needs effectively.
- Cultivated an inclusive atmosphere that promoted respect and understanding of diverse abilities among peers in the classroom community.
- Utilized alternative assessments methods, such as portfolios or performance-based tasks, to evaluate student progress more accurately for those with unique learning needs.
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of neurodiverse students.
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs.
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities.
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities.
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth.
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS).
- Partnered with standard education teachers from across academic departments.
- Worked with students with moderate to severe autism to increase life skills.
- Encouraged students to take ownership of learning by providing choices.
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule.
- Facilitated small group instruction to address individual learning needs.
- Planned daily activities to keep students engaged and on track with learning goals.
- Monitored student performance to evaluate effectiveness of instructional strategies.
- Developed and implemented behavior management plans to improve student behavior.
- Conducted assessments of students to determine individual needs.
- Helped students with special needs integrate into general classroom environments by advocating for individual requirements and helping teachers solve problems.
- Implemented behavior modification techniques to improve student social and academic performance.
- Developed Individual Education Plans for students with special needs.
- Improved behavior by modeling positive choices and teaching socially-acceptable options.
- Provided emotional support to students and families.
- Promoted memory, cognition and language development with hands-on activities and individualized instruction.
- Applied proven strategies to improve students' sensory- and perceptual-motor skills.
- Mentored new teachers on student progress monitoring and legal document preparation.
Education
Master of Arts - Special Education
07.2006
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
06.2001
Skills
- Crisis Intervention
- Individualized Instruction
- Time Management
- Parent-Teacher Collaboration
- Social Skills Training
- Mathematics Intervention
- Collaborative Teaching
- Literacy Intervention
- Adaptive Learning Techniques
- Differentiated Instruction
- Disability Awareness
- Communication Strategies
- Inclusion Strategies
- Sensory Integration
- Positive Reinforcement
- Visual Supports
- Emotional Support
- Autism Spectrum Knowledge
- Functional Behavior Assessment
- Multisensory Teaching
- IEP Planning
- Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
- Motivating Students
- Individual Education Plans IEPs
- Conflict Resolution Techniques
- Student Records Management
- Social Skills Development
- De-Escalation Techniques
- Positive Role Model
- Trained in CPI
- Classroom Management
- Social Integration
- Crisis Prevention and Intervention
- Behavior Modification
- Student Counseling
- Small Group Instruction
- Basic Clerical Knowledge
- Group and Individual Instruction
- Child Development
- Elementary Education
- Special Education
- Team Collaboration
- IEP Support
- Special Needs Education
- Physical Restraint
- Classroom Management Techniques
- Student Rapport-Building
- District Standards
- Classroom Instruction
- Instructional Techniques
- Individual Education Plan Expertise
- Diverse Student Populations
- Reading Comprehension
- Positive Reinforcement Strategies
- Student Achievement
- Learning Modalities
- Autism and Spectrum Disorders
- Creating Schedules
- Paraprofessional Oversight
- Different Learning Styles
- Personal Hygiene Support
- Social Perceptiveness
- Development of Social Skills
- Self-Contained Classrooms
- Emotional Disorders
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration
- Cultural Awareness
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention
- Behavior Intervention Plans
- Positive Learning Environment
- Developing Educational Materials
Accomplishments
- Special Education Department chairperson for 10+ years.
- Supervised team of 15 staff members.
- Achieved being Teacher of the Year through effectively helping my students and other teachers.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Special Educator - Osceola School District
08.2006 - 07.2023
Oakland City University - Master of Arts, Special Education
University of Evansville - Bachelor of Science, Psychology
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