Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Jennifer Cross

Eustis,FL

Summary

Dedicated to supporting emotional, social and academic development of young children. Trained in developmental stages and knowledgeable about offering safe, nurturing environments to boost learning. Desire to complement education-based strategies with techniques to promote overall health and wellness.

Overview

26
26
years of professional experience

Work History

Substitute Preschool Teacher

Mount Dora Christian Academy
2022.10 - Current
  • Assist classroom lead teacher or classroom assistant teacher as needed with classroom duties
  • Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in classroom
  • Follow classroom management techniques to maintain positive learning environment
  • Assist students in craft projects
  • Assist students in mastering subject material
  • Supervise children during recess

Volunteer

Mount Dora Christian Academy
2021.08 - Current
  • Organize and assist with parties and special events, as needed, by the classroom teacher
  • Assist the classroom teacher with creating learning materials for the students
  • Assist with the bi-annual Book Fair
  • Assist with the Christmas Cottage
  • Assist with Beta projects
  • Assist with Chicken Suppers

Volunteer

Liberty Church Tavares
2021.05 - Current
  • Assist with the hospitality team to ensure guests feel welcome
  • Assist with the children's ministry
  • Assist with special events and programs for the women's ministry
  • Use strong interpersonal communication skills to convey information to others
  • Support engaging, fun, and smooth-running events by helping with organization and planning.
  • Communicate with staff members to stay informed about volunteer opportunities and events.
  • Participate in volunteer orientations and training sessions to learn about organizational changes and mission updates.
  • Build partnerships with related organizations to develop support and gain greater attention for important issues.
  • Host events for the youth fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
  • Assist with planning and organizing the church's parade float for the Tavares Christmas Parade.

Volunteer Preschool Teacher

Real Life Christian Church
2015.05 - 2019.12
  • Provided a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow through various Bible lessons and relevant activities.
  • Collaborated with fellow volunteers to create a positive atmosphere for children.
  • Mentored new volunteers, sharing best practices and offering guidance on effective childcare techniques.
  • Managed conflicts among children, facilitating peaceful resolutions and promoting empathy.
  • Monitored children's activities to verify safety and wellbeing.
  • Instructed children in crafts and other activities to promote gross and fine motor skills while learning Biblical principles.
  • Created safe and engaging learning environment for groups of diverse children with various learning styles.
  • Provided support and guidance to children in conflict resolution.

Volunteer

Grace Baptist Church
2006.05 - 2014.12
  • Directed and coordinated preschool worship
  • Collaborated with fellow volunteers to create a positive Christ-centered atmosphere for children, fostering strong relationships among peers.
  • Mentored new volunteers, sharing best practices and offering guidance as needed.
  • Managed conflicts among children, facilitating peaceful resolutions and promoting empathy.
  • Boosted creativity through hands-on art projects that allowed children to express themselves freely while developing fine motor skills.
  • Watched and redirected inappropriate student behavior.
  • Enhanced children's social skills by organizing group activities.
  • Responded to inquiries from parents.
  • Supported children with special needs, adapting activities to accommodate their individual abilities.
  • Monitored children's activities to verify safety and wellbeing.
  • Read stories, sang songs and facilitated creative play.
  • Instructed children in crafts and other activities to promote gross and fine motor skills.
  • Created safe and engaging learning environment for groups of diverse children with various learning styles.
  • Used positive reinforcement techniques to promote patience and other good behaviors in children.
  • Gathered and organized materials for weekly lessons for the preschool department.
  • Served as a Vacation Bible School teacher for elementary aged children
  • Served on Children's Ministry Team

Volunteer Preschool Sunday School Teacher

First Baptist Church Of Laredo
2004.06 - 2005.07
  • Taught kindergarten Sunday morning class
  • Taught 3rd grade Vacation Bible School class

Kindergarten Teacher

Mobile County Public School System
1998.09 - 2003.04
  • Improved student reading skills by implementing phonics-based instruction and guided reading activities.
  • Assisted in curriculum development to align lessons with state standards and improve overall instructional quality.
  • Fostered social-emotional growth in students through daily morning meetings, conflict resolution strategies, and character education lessons.
  • Applied evidence-based practices for classroom management to enhance learning results.
  • Teamed with other professionals to enhance student learning experiences.
  • Arranged parent-teacher conferences to address student progress and collaboratively set goals for areas of improvement.
  • Collaborated in planning, organizing and implementing instructional programs to facilitate academic, intellectual and social development.
  • Kept accurate documents about student progress for school and parent records.
  • Delivered structured lessons on readiness skills by emphasizing phonics, language skills, literature, and handwriting.
  • Enhanced classroom management by establishing clear expectations, rules, and routines.
  • Increased parent involvement through regular communication, parent-teacher conferences, and workshops.
  • Promoted a positive learning environment with the use of collaborative group work and hands-on activities.
  • Participated in professional development opportunities to stay current on best practices in early childhood education.
  • Developed strong relationships with families to address any concerns or issues impacting student success.
  • Implemented differentiated instruction strategies to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
  • Collaborated with colleagues to share resources, brainstorm ideas, and problem-solve challenges faced in the classroom environment.
  • Supported students in developing social skills through structured activities and positive reinforcement techniques.
  • Implemented behavior modification strategies, resulting in improved self-regulation and classroom participation among students.
  • Provided one-on-one support for students with learning disabilities, enabling them to excel in their coursework.
  • Built positive relationships with students and families for safe, trusted learning support.
  • Exercised good classroom management focused on positive behavior support by clearly articulating fair and consistent expectations along with appropriate natural consequences.
  • Promoted learning through play with engaging activities, games and lessons.
  • Created and supervised variety of hands-on learning activities for fun and engagement.
  • Rewarded student success by utilizing praise and positive reinforcement techniques.
  • Monitored use of technology, enhancing student learning and technological skills.
  • Incorporated art, music and physical activity into curriculum for well-rounded education.
  • Utilized various assessment strategies to evaluate student performance.
  • Recognized children's physical, emotional and social needs for personalized support.
  • Identified characteristics, needs, abilities, and problems of each child through personal interaction and progress reports to optimize approaches.
  • Maintained stimulating learning environments through original, interactive classroom layouts and displays.
  • Played games with students to increase understanding of subjects.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Elementary And Early Childhood Education

University of Mobile
Mobile, AL
12.1997

Skills

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Child Development
  • Positive Reinforcement
  • Special Needs Support
  • Team Collaboration
  • Organizational Skills
  • Creative Curriculum
  • Classroom Management
  • Adaptable
  • Group and Individual Instruction
  • Relationship Building and Management
  • Differentiated Instruction

Timeline

Substitute Preschool Teacher

Mount Dora Christian Academy
2022.10 - Current

Volunteer

Mount Dora Christian Academy
2021.08 - Current

Volunteer

Liberty Church Tavares
2021.05 - Current

Volunteer Preschool Teacher

Real Life Christian Church
2015.05 - 2019.12

Volunteer

Grace Baptist Church
2006.05 - 2014.12

Volunteer Preschool Sunday School Teacher

First Baptist Church Of Laredo
2004.06 - 2005.07

Kindergarten Teacher

Mobile County Public School System
1998.09 - 2003.04

Bachelor of Science - Elementary And Early Childhood Education

University of Mobile
Jennifer Cross