Kara P. Paulsen
Summary
Versatile and dedicated Special Education Teacher with focus on individual student needs across academia and emotional development. Empathetic and accommodating in design and implementation of hands-on lessons, catering to diverse learning abilities. Proficient in employing constant communication, patience and positive reinforcement in team efforts to deliver exceptional educational tools, increasing student motivation and fostering academic achievement. Having a background as a retired navy spouse and as a daughter of a foreign service officer, I am skilled in communicating and collaborating with military families as well as families of different cultures. Also, having extensive experience working as a special education teacher with families in economically disadvantaged areas to close achievement gaps and help students with special needs have access to the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Special Education Teacher and Case Manager
Daniel Of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary
08.2019 - Current
- Created and managed numerous Individual Education Plans (IEP) of students with special needs including present level of academic achievement and functional performance, special considerations, program modifications, supports, supplementary aides, testing accommodations, and academic and/or behavioral services.
- Defined student learning or behavioral goals and objectives as well as instructional knowledge and methods to target and support goals; then monitored student performance of goals and objectives biweekly as well as provided quarterly progress reports to inform parents and school administration.
- Cultivated positive connections and strong student rapport with students to foster classroom engagement as well as successfully collaborated through team-teaching approaches and communication with general educators, other service providers and parents in order to implement students' Individualized Education Plans with fidelity.
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs, (i.e., Developmental Disabilities, Other Health Impairments, Autism, Specific Learning Disabilities, and Emotional Disabilities) in their least restrictive environment.
- Provided supplementary aides, supports and modifications in order for the students with special needs to have access to their general education curriculum by using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Taught multiple subjects to students with special needs in the following grade levels: prekindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, third grade, fourth grade and fifth grade as well as implemented multi-sensory, research-based reading and math interventions for students in a inclusion and resource settings.
- Provided instruction in an in-person, virtual and/or hybrid setting by utilizing using online platforms and virtual manipulatives, resources and tools.
- Provided academic testing services by administering norm-referenced academic achievement tests for students who are being evaluated for special education services.
- Attended numerous professional development (PD) and additional courses on virtual instruction, cultural awareness, formative assessment (i.e., On-Going Assessment Project for Common Core Math), Title One, and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) writing workshops and Medicaid training.
Special Education Teacher
Bayvale Elementary
08.2005 - 06.2008
- Led and conducted Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings for annual reviews and program reviews for students with special needs in an economic disadvantaged area.
- Set high expectations for student behavior and maintained those standards through classroom management techniques and positive reinforcement.
- Participated as a member in a school-wide disciplinary committee as well as planned and led workshops on positive discipline techniques for general education teachers.
- Created a school-wide inclusion schedule for multiple grade levels and case managers/special educators for special education students to receive appropriate inclusion and/or resource services according to their Individualized Education Plans (IEP).
- Participated in school-wide Student Support Team meetings (SST) to help provide consultation on Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions for students who were currently not meeting academic or behavioral expectations.
- Conducted academic and behavioral observations to help determine their eligibility for special education.
Special Education Program Coordinator and Teacher
Modern Knowledge School
08.2003 - 06.2004
- Led and developed the Academic Enrichment Program at Modern Knowledge School in Manama, Bahrain which was designed to serve the elementary students and middle school students in a private school setting who are experiencing difficulty learning in a traditional school environment due to to mild disabilities.
- Created and implemented Individualized Education Plans for students who are diagnosed with specific Learning Disabilities, Mild Intellectual Disabilities, and Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder.
- Managed and coordinated the special education services for students as well as communicated effectively with Bahraini parents and administrators who speak little English and are unfamiliar with special education services.
- Ordered specialized books and other materials that are adapted to the different learning styles of students as well as maintained contacts with resources suppliers of Houghton Mifflin and Scott Foreman.
Elementary School Teacher, Third Grade
Modern Knowledge School
09.2002 - 06.2003
- Implemented a third grade curriculum with few available resources and out-dated materials as well as created a stimulating third grade classroom environment without any available budget and little available school supplies.
- Planned and implemented lesson plans for Arabic students who are learning English as a second language.
- Communicated effectively with Bahraini parents and administrators.
- Established a classroom management plan based on positive reinforcement.
Psych Educator and Educational Teachers' Assistant
Villa Maria School At St. Vincent's
08.2000 - 06.2002
- Created and managed individualized education programs for students with severe emotional disabilities in a self-contained, non-public, level-five regionalized school environment.
- Created and implemented highly structured behavioral classroom management plan as well as individualized Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP) to maintain a positive learning environment.
- Worked as a team with mental health professionals, social workers, speech therapists and parents to implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students with emotional disabilities.
- Maintained high quality data for documenting student's daily behavior and created a daily communication log with parents in order to communicate about their child's daily behavior.
- Implemented group social skill lessons emphasizing empathy, mindfulness and emotional regulation.
Education
Certification Renewal - Special Education
College of Southern Maryland
La Plata, MDCertification Special Education Mild Disabilities - Special Education of Mild Disabilities
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Savannah, GA06.2008
Master of Arts - International Teaching
Framingham University
Boston, MA08.2004
Bachelor of Science - Psychology And Animal Behavior
Towson University
Baltimore, MD12.1999
Skills
- Individualized Education Plan Development with Maryland Online IEP
- Student Motivation
- Progress Monitoring and Data Collection
- Multisensory Lessons and Hand's On Approach with Manipulatives
Areas of proficiency include:
- Team Teaching Approach
- In-person, Virtual and Hybrid Instruction
- Technology Integration with Microsoft Office, Word, TEAMs, Zoom, and Synergy, etc
- Administering Norm-Referenced Standardized Achievement Tests: WJ-IV, TERA-3, TEMA-3, TEWL-3, BDI
- Implementing Academic Interventions (Wilson Reading System and the Number Worlds)
Certification
Generic Special Education , State of Maryland, Type: Advanced Professional Certificate, July 2020.
Languages
Spanish
Limited Working
Timeline
Special Education Teacher and Case Manager
Daniel Of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary
08.2019 - Current
Special Education Teacher
Bayvale Elementary
08.2005 - 06.2008
Special Education Program Coordinator and Teacher
Modern Knowledge School
08.2003 - 06.2004
Elementary School Teacher, Third Grade
Modern Knowledge School
09.2002 - 06.2003
Psych Educator and Educational Teachers' Assistant
Villa Maria School At St. Vincent's
08.2000 - 06.2002
Certification Renewal - Special Education
College of Southern Maryland
Certification Special Education Mild Disabilities - Special Education of Mild Disabilities
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Master of Arts - International Teaching
Framingham University
Bachelor of Science - Psychology And Animal Behavior
Towson University
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