Kathleen Johnson
Special Education Teacher
Amarillo,TX
Summary
Versatile Special Education Teacher with a focus on individual student needs across academia and emotional development. Empathetic and accommodating in the 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. Organized Special Education teacher was successful at providing classroom and emotional structure for special needs children required to flourish in academic settings. Certified and licensed in California and recognized as a highly qualified educator. Coordinates well with classroom teachers with supportive strategies for behavior management and lesson accommodations for students. Special Education Teacher equipped with positive attitude and patience necessary to teach special education. Extensive experience working with autistic children. Engaging personality and enthusiasm for promoting hands-on learning with children. Highly qualified and certified in California with over 15 years of experience teaching special education at the elementary and Middle school level. Worked with children with Mild to Moderate disabilities including social-emotional behaviors. Versatile and dedicated Special Education with a focus on the individual needs of special education students. Empathetic and accommodating in the design and implementation of hands-on lessons. Exceptional skills in working with teachers, parents, and specialists to meet the educational needs of students. Resilient Special Education The teacher was familiar with the 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. Critical thinking Computer skills Written Communication Adaptability Multitasking abilities Cultural awareness Conflict resolution Leadership Supervision
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Special Education Classroom Teacher
Canyon Independent School District
Canyon, TX
09.2022 - 06.2023
- Basic math
- Reading comprehension
- Collaboration
- Teamwork
- Compassion, 20 years experience within the classroom setting with a minimum of 10 students a year with moderate disabilities including autism, down syndrome
- Williams Syndrome, deaf and hard of hearing, visually impaired, emotionally disturbed, ADHD, and behavioral challenges
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to a range of neurodiverse students
- Implemented and taught life skills program, enabling students to master such tasks such as checkbook balancing and laundry
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities
- Communicated nonverbally with children to provide comfort, encouragement, and positive reinforcement
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals
- Created learning and content strategies to meet the needs of mentally and physically disabled students
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration
- Organized instruction material, constructed bulletin boards, and set up work areas
- Completed intensive leadership training and provided training to colleagues on applied behavior analysis
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
- Designed and implemented a point system to encourage positive behavior
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement
- Worked with students with moderate to severe autism to increase life skills
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities
- Provided life skills programming for students with moderate to severe autism
- Instructed students in core academic areas and specialized reading groups
- Taught reading, language arts, and social sciences in self-contained ED and LD classrooms.
Amarillo School District
Amarillo, TX
12.2021 - 06.2022
- Complete the 21-22 school year with the Amarillo School District within the classroom setting with a minimum of 10 students a year with moderate disabilities including autism, down syndrome
- Williams Syndrome, deaf and hard of hearing, visually impaired, emotionally disturbed, ADHD, and others
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to a range of neurodiverse students
- Implemented and taught life skills program, enabling students to master such tasks such as checkbook balancing and laundry
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities
- Communicated nonverbally with children to provide comfort, encouragement, and positive reinforcement
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals
- Created learning and content strategies to meet the needs of mentally and physically disabled students
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration
- Organized instruction material, constructed bulletin boards, and set up work areas
- Completed intensive leadership training and provided training to colleagues on applied behavior analysis
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
- Designed and implemented a point system to encourage positive behavior
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement
- Worked with students with moderate to severe autism to increase life skills
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities
- Provided life skills programming for students with moderate to severe autism
- Instructed students in core academic areas and specialized reading groups
- Taught reading, language arts, and social sciences in self-contained ED and LD classrooms.
Simi Valley Unified School District
Simi Valley, CA
08.2021 - 12.2021
- Monitored approximately 25 students on caseload for academics as well as social and emotional needs
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to a range of neurodiversity students
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies
- Instructed students in core academic areas and specialized reading groups
- Created learning and content strategies to meet the needs of mentally and physically disabled students
- Communicated nonverbally with children to provide comfort, encouragement and positive reinforcement
- Partnered with standard education teachers from across academic departments
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities
- Organized instruction material, constructed bulletin boards, and set up work areas
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule
- Implemented and taught life skills program, enabling students to master such tasks such as checkbook balancing and laundry
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS).
Special Education Classroom Teacher
Simi Valley Unified School District
Simi Valley, CA
09.2005 - 08.2021
- Years’ experience within the classroom setting with a minimum of 15 students to 20 students a year with moderate disabilities including autism, down syndrome
- Williams Syndrome, deaf and hard of hearing, visually impaired, emotionally disturbed, ADHD, and others
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to a range of neurodiverse students
- Implemented and taught life skills program, enabling students to master such tasks such as checkbook balancing and laundry
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities
- Communicated nonverbally with children to provide comfort, encouragement, and positive reinforcement
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals
- Created learning and content strategies to meet the needs of mentally and physically disabled students
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration
- Organized instruction material, constructed bulletin boards, and set up work areas
- Completed intensive leadership training and provided training to colleagues on applied behavior analysis
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
- Designed and implemented a point system to encourage positive behavior
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement
- Worked with students with moderate to severe autism to increase life skills
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities
- Provided life skills programming for students with moderate to severe autism
- Instructed students in core academic areas and specialized reading groups
- Taught reading, language arts, and social sciences in self-contained ED and LD classrooms.
Special Education Classroom Teacher
Lancaster School District
Lancaster, CA
08.2003 - 09.2005
- Managed kindergarten classroom with 20 students rotating 4 times throughout school year
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to a range of neurodiverse students
- Implemented and taught life skills program, enabling students to master such tasks as checkbook balancing and laundry
- Partnered with standard education teachers from across academic departments
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities
- Communicated nonverbally with children to provide comfort, encouragement, and positive reinforcement
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals
- Created learning and content strategies to meet the needs of mentally and physically disabled students
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule
- Led activities that developed students' physical, emotional, and social growth
- Organized instruction material, constructed bulletin boards, and set up work areas
- Completed intensive leadership training and provided training to colleagues on applied behavior analysis
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
- Designed and implemented a point system to encourage positive behavior
- Worked with students with moderate to severe autism to increase life skills
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities
- Provided life skills programming for students with moderate to severe autism
- Taught reading, language arts, and social sciences in self-contained ED and LD classrooms
- Instructed students in core academic areas and specialized reading groups.
Boot Camp
United States Army, US Army
Fort Hood, Fort Jackson, Fort Lee, TX, South Carolina, West Virginia
10.1996 - 11.1998
- Served one year in Korea, Camp Kyle
- Stateside to Fort Hood, Texas
- Quickly learned new skills and applied them to daily tasks, improving efficiency and productivity
- Monitored company inventory to keep stock levels and databases updated
- Proved successful working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced atmosphere
- Successfully maintained clean, valid driver's license and access to reliable transportation
- Devoted special emphasis to punctuality and worked to maintain outstanding attendance record, consistently arriving to work ready to start immediately
- Worked flexible hours; night, weekend, and holiday shifts.
Education
Master of Arts - Human Behavior
National University - La Jolla
La Jolla, CA 03.2016 - 08.2023
Bachelor of Arts - Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
University of La Verne - La Verne
2006-08
Associate of Arts - undefined
Antelope Valley College
2002-07
Skills
- Special Education
- Group and Individual Instruction
- Individualized Lesson Plans
- Social Studies
- Educational Strategies
- Middle School Education
- Collections Understanding
- Teacher Education
- Positive Reinforcement Methods
- Crisis Prevention and Intervention
- Autism and Spectrum Disorders
- Student Rapport-Building
- Paraprofessional Oversight
- Instructional Techniques
- Behavior Modification
- Personal Hygiene Support
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention
- Mobility Assistance
- Parent and Guardian Communication
- Disability Assessment Testing
- Self-Contained Classrooms
- Classroom Management
- Cognitive Disabilities Knowledge
- District Standards
- Assessment Administration
- Recreational Activities
- Motivating Students
- Positive Role Model
- Behavioral Skills Development
- Grading Assignments
- Student Engagement
- Classroom Instruction
- Conflict Resolution Techniques
- Small Group Instruction
- Scheduling Proficiency
- Behavior Intervention Plans
- Social Integration
- AAC Devices
- Positive Learning Environment
- Group Assistance
- Interactive Learning
- Team Collaboration
- Child Development
- Evidence-Based Assessment
- Differentiated Instruction
- Parent Communication
- IEP Development
- Different Learning Styles
- Activity Organization
- Active Participation
- Social and Academic Development
- In-Depth Knowledge of Autism
- Behavior Modification Techniques
- Educational Settings
- Diverse Student Populations
- Interventions Understanding
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Language Skills Development
- Daily Facility Operations
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeWork Location
On-SiteImportant To Me
Work-life balanceCompany CulturePaid sick leaveTeam Building / Company RetreatsPersonal development programsCareer advancementTimeline
Special Education Classroom Teacher
Canyon Independent School District
09.2022 - 06.2023
Amarillo School District
12.2021 - 06.2022
Simi Valley Unified School District
08.2021 - 12.2021
Master of Arts - Human Behavior
National University - La Jolla
03.2016 - 08.2023
Special Education Classroom Teacher
Simi Valley Unified School District
09.2005 - 08.2021
Special Education Classroom Teacher
Lancaster School District
08.2003 - 09.2005
Boot Camp
United States Army, US Army
10.1996 - 11.1998
Bachelor of Arts - Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
University of La Verne - La Verne
Associate of Arts - undefined
Antelope Valley College
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