James Perusich
Chicago,IL
Summary
Passionate and experienced English Teacher dedicated to creating, implementing and assessing instruction to meet student needs. Design and plan daily unit lessons based upon sound pedagogical theory and motivate and manage classes of up to 30 students. Energetic and hardworking individual with excellent communication and organizational abilities.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
English Teacher
Addison Trail High School
08.1996 - Current
- Designed and implemented standards-aligned curriculum for Dual-Credit College Composition courses in partnership with the College of DuPage, achieving a 97% success rate for students earning college credit
- Increased AP Literature exam pass rates by 12% through evidence-based learning strategies, differentiated instruction, and targeted academic support
- Co-led inclusive classrooms, tailoring instruction to meet the needs of IEP and 504 students.
- Integrated inquiry-based learning strategies into daily lessons, fostering student-driven exploration, critical thinking, and reflection, resulting in a measurable increase in student engagement and participation
- Mentored new teachers and served as Course Coordinator for multiple levels, promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration and curriculum alignment
- Taught evidence-based argumentative writing through a hybrid of instructional designs supported by notable composition theorists
- Contributed to hiring and leadership initiatives, including serving on interview committees for key roles such as Assistant Principal and Department Chair
- Routinely chosen as 'Favorite English Teacher' by student body
- Guided students in genre analysis to develop writing proficiency and adapt to diverse academic and professional discourse communities
- Modeled recursive writing processes, enabling students to create polished, coherent texts that reflect critical thinking and synthesis
- Enhanced student flexibility in problem-solving and knowledge construction, leading to a measurable improvement in students' adaptability to new writing tasks and assignments
- Supported a diverse population, including English Language Learners (ELL), through scaffolding techniques and culturally responsive teaching
- Incorporated authentic assessment strategies, such as collaborative writing groups and rubric-based evaluations, to enhance student outcomes
- Fostered digital literacy by integrating hypermedia tools and research systems into coursework
Adjunct English Professor
Morton College
08.2007 - Current
- Guided students in genre analysis to develop writing proficiency and adapt to diverse academic and professional discourse communities.
- Modeled recursive writing processes, enabling students to create polished, coherent texts that reflect their critical thinking.
- Enhanced student flexibility in problem-solving and knowledge construction, leading to a measurable improvement in students' adaptability to new writing tasks and assignments.
- Supported a diverse population, including English Language Learners (ELL), through scaffolding techniques and culturally responsive teaching.
- Incorporated authentic assessment strategies, such as collaborative writing groups and rubric-based evaluations, to enhance student outcomes.
- Fostered digital literacy by integrating hypermedia tools and research systems into coursework.
Education
M.A - English Composition/Rhetoric
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL12.2024
M.S - Secondary English Instruction
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago, IL06.2005
B.A - English
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL05.1994
Skills
- Critical Thinking Facilitation
- Culturally Responsive Teaching
- Data-Informed Instructional Practices
- Differentiated Instruction
- Educational Technology Integration
- Formative and Summative Assessment
- Inclusive Classroom Strategies
- Inquiry-Based Learning Techniques
- Process-Based Writing Pedagogy
- Scaffolding for English Language Learners (ELL)
Certification
- Illinois Association of Teachers of English, 08/1997, Present
- National Council of Teachers of English, 08/1996, Present
- Type 09
- Secondary ESL Instruction
- Secondary Reading Instruction
Volunteering And Leadership
Sponsor, Student Council - Addison Trail High School, Addison, IL
Awards And Scholarships
Graduated Summa Cum Laude
Presidential Scholarship Recipient, Loyola University
Helen C. Potter Scholarship recipient
Dean's List all semesters
4.0 GPA for both of my master's degrees
Outstanding Educator Award, University of Chicago, 2015
Routinely selected as "Best English Teacher" by graduating classes
Awarded Blazer "Golden Apple" award numerous times
Timeline
Adjunct English Professor
Morton College
08.2007 - Current
English Teacher
Addison Trail High School
08.1996 - Current
M.S - Secondary English Instruction
Northeastern Illinois University
M.A - English Composition/Rhetoric
Eastern Illinois University
B.A - English
Loyola University Chicago
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