Howard Zisser
Brooklyn,NY
Summary
A dedicated special education teacher focused on building each student's strength and confidence, as well as giving students firm guidelines, regularity, and dependability to foster their social, emotional, and academic growth.
Model teacher during the 2025-2026 school year at Talent Unlimited High School
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Special Education Teacher
Talent Unlimited High School
New York, New York
08.2024 - Current
- Integrated co-teacher for 10th and 11th grade ELA, AP World History, U.S. History, and Chemistry
- Assisting students from diverse cultures and academic levels to gain credit and pass New York State Regents.
- Support the student community with performing arts endeavors (acting, vocalizing, dancing, etc.).
- Collaborate with administrators, subject teachers, paraprofessionals, and service support staff to create an appropriate Individual Educational Program.
Special Education Teacher
Brooklyn Occupational Training Center
Brooklyn, NY
07.2022 - 08.2024
- Official Teacher for a 12:1:1 special class in a D75 school.
- Incorporated my TESOL certificate within the 2023-24 class with ENL and Bilingual students of Spanish, Russian, and Georgian languages.
- Created lessons to foster academic, social, emotional, and vocational development as needed to meet individualized student needs.
- Established positive relationships with students and their families.
- Building Response Team (BRT) and Safety Team member ensuring protocols are in place for the protection of students and staff.
- UFT Teacher Center Site-Committee member who has input in selecting Teacher Center resources.
- Graduation Committee member who participated in creating media announcements and helped with the set-up of senior events.
Special Education Teacher
Origins High School
Brooklyn, NY
09.2016 - 06.2022
- Integrated Co-Teacher for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade subjects including ELA, Economics, Global and AP US History, Chemistry, Statistics, and Remedial Algebra.
- Assisting students of diverse cultures and academic levels.
- Lead teacher for a section of ELA (third trimester 2020, including a unit on poetry and a unit on Shakespeare) - incorporating Culturally Responsive Teaching.
- Lead teacher for Economics (covering teacher on maternity leave for three weeks in 2020).
- Drama Club Coach incorporating improvisation for social, emotional, and professional growth. Directed productions Next, The Odd Couple - Female Version, and co-Directed the play Alice vs. Wonderland Directed a Drama Club video in 2019 for the school's YouTube channel.
- Hiring Committee member evaluating potential candidates through a process of phone interviews, demos, and panel interview.
- New Teacher Mentor for incoming Special Education teacher.
- Prose Committee member discussing and voting on various school structures (e.g. movement of off days to cover student presentations of Capstones and Roundtables with staff evaluations).
- Media Committee member in charge of posting and interacting with Origins' Facebook community.
- Advisory Committee member dedicated to bringing best practices (circle discussions, grade appropriate themes, and lesson plans), to the school's community of advisors.
- College Now Facilitator for FIN 180: Consumer and Personal Finance
Teaching Fellow
NYC Teaching Fellows
Brooklyn, NY
06.2016 - 06.2018
- Completed a rigorous summer teaching/training program, at Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School and Victory Collegiate High School, demonstrating my ability to raise student achievement.
- Prepared students for Regents testing in English Language Arts and Living Environment.
Substitute Teacher
New York City Department of Education
Brooklyn/Manhattan, New York
11.2015 - 06.2016
- Taught students with emotional and physical disabilities in District 75 schools (all grades) including M347 The 47 American Sign Language & English Lower School, P721K@Roy Campanella, P771K@P.S.329 Surfside, and P077K@P.S.164 Caesar Rodney.
- Worked with gifted students at I.S. 187 Christa McAuliffe School.
- Covered a variety of subjects including English Language Arts, science, health, social studies, and theatre.
Education
Teaching English To Speakers of Other Languages
Fordham University, Lincoln Center, NY
New York, NY01.2020
Master of Science - Children with Disabilities, Grades 7-12
Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY09.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Theatre
Brooklyn College of The City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY01.1990
Certification
- Students With Disabilities - Grades 7-12 - Generalist
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - Grades K - 12
- Theatre - Grades K - 12
Timeline
Special Education Teacher
Talent Unlimited High School
08.2024 - Current
Special Education Teacher
Brooklyn Occupational Training Center
07.2022 - 08.2024
Special Education Teacher
Origins High School
09.2016 - 06.2022
Teaching Fellow
NYC Teaching Fellows
06.2016 - 06.2018
Substitute Teacher
New York City Department of Education
11.2015 - 06.2016
Teaching English To Speakers of Other Languages
Fordham University, Lincoln Center, NY
Master of Science - Children with Disabilities, Grades 7-12
Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Bachelor of Arts - Theatre
Brooklyn College of The City University of New York