Karen Nestor
Saint Augustine,Florida
Summary
History of successfully planning, delivering and assessing reading intervention plans for 28 years in
the Niskayuna Central School System, upstate New York. Compliant with Title 1 guidelines and knowledgeable about a wide range of successful strategies. Versatile and dedicated reading and special education teacher with focus on individual needs of students who require a reading program, the Wilson Reading System presented in a systematic and cumulative manner that is manageable. Empathetic and accommodating in design and implementation of hands-on lessons.
Exceptional skills working with teachers, parents and specialists to meet educational needs of students. Resilient Special Education Teacher familiar with challenges associated with teaching special needs children. Remains positive under times of stress or conflict. Works well with classroom teachers to develop accommodations and special techniques for mainstream classroom inclusion. Versatile Special Education Teacher/Reading 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, fostering academic achievement.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Reading Specialist, Special Education Teadher
Niskayuna Central Schools
01.2002 - 06.2016
- Wilson Reading System (WRS) teacher,an individual instruction, a multi-sensory approach, directly teaching the structure of words, a complete program for teaching DECODING, sounding out words, and ENCODING, spelling, beginning with phoneme segmentation.
- Evaluated student progress through regular assessments, adjusting instruction as needed to optimize growth.
- Enhanced reading comprehension by implementing targeted literacy interventions and strategies.
- Assisted in the selection and adoption of appropriate curriculum materials aligned with state standards and district goals.
- Cultivated a supportive learning environment that encouraged students to take risks and develop confidence in their reading abilities.
- Wrote and delivered customized instruction to individual students and small groups.
- Conducted assessments of students to determine individual needs.
- Monitored student performance to evaluate effectiveness of instructional strategies.
- Maintained accurate records of student progress.
- Established positive relationships with families, collaborating on strategies to support at-home literacy development .
- Used specific. approaches such as, Wilson Reading System, to achieve dramatic results with students.
Education
Master of Science - Special Education, Reading
College of St. Rose
Albany, NYBachelor of Arts - Elementary School Teaching
Hope College
Holland, MISkills
- Individual instruction, utilizing The Wilson Reading System (WRS )
- Parent-teacher collaboration
- Comprehension Techniques
- Progress Monitoring
- Intervention Planning
- Individualized instruction
- Vocabulary expansion
- Decoding, Encoding, Phoneme Segregation
- Innovative lesson planning
- Student Engagement
- Response to Intervention
- Multisensory Teaching
Certification
- Senator Hugh T. Farley "CERTIFICATE OF MERIT",
DISTINGUISHED TEACHER AND OUTSTANDING
SERVICE for oustanding service as a
N.Y.S. teacher for 28 years
- BCAP - Board Certified Autism Professional
- BCSET- Board Certified Special Education Teacher
- BCRT- Board Certified Special Education Teacher,
all 50 states
- BCRET- Board Certified Regular Education Teacher,
all 50 states
- Certification of Completion, Math in Focus Instructional Course
- Wilson Reading System, Multisensory Language training for Specific Reading Disability, 90. seminar hours and 60 supervised practicum hours.
- Highly Effective Rating, 98/100 points, as a special eduction teacher on Niskayuna Central Schools Evaluation Rating Scale.
Timeline
Reading Specialist, Special Education Teadher
Niskayuna Central Schools
01.2002 - 06.2016
Master of Science - Special Education, Reading
College of St. Rose
Bachelor of Arts - Elementary School Teaching
Hope College
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