Laura M Gustason
Ankeny,IA
Summary
Special Education Teacher equipped with positive attitude and patience vital to teaching children with special needs. Extensive experience creating innovative lesson plans and comfortable learning environments.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Elementary Special Education Teacher
Marshalltown Community School District
08.2016 - Current
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration.
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
- Redirected students using Responsive Classroom techniques
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies. (Extended Core curriculum)
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs.
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule.
- Met with parents and guardians to discuss children's progress and determine priorities and resource needs.
- Provided non-verbal communication training to staff members to facilitate student aid.
- Used state and district assessments to determine student abilities and track academic progress.
- Managing of students IEPs, up to 13 students with 30+ goals
Elementary Special Education Teacher
Bonderant-Farrer Community School District
08.2015 - 05.2016
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS).
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities.
- Used state and district assessments to determine student abilities and track academic progress.
Education
Endorsement - Instructional Strategies 2
Grandview College
Des Moines12-2023
Master of Arts - Elementary Early Childhood Education
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ05-2018
Bachelor of Arts - Elementary Education
Univserity of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA12-2013
Skills
- Progress monitoring
- Literacy strategies
- Social-emotional learning
- IEP and BIP development and implementation
- Motivating students
- Cognitive and behavioral development
- Parent-teacher collaboration
- Non-violent crisis intervention
- Differentiated instruction
- Scheduling proficiency
- De-escalation techniques
- Behavior intervention plans
- Trained in CPI
Certification
- Crisis Prevention Institute Certification (CPI) - Crisis Prevention Institute.
- State Teaching License in Special Education - Iowa Department of Education.
- Currently working on LETRS Lexia Courses
- Responsive Classroom Training
Timeline
Elementary Special Education Teacher
Marshalltown Community School District
08.2016 - Current
Elementary Special Education Teacher
Bonderant-Farrer Community School District
08.2015 - 05.2016
Endorsement - Instructional Strategies 2
Grandview College
Master of Arts - Elementary Early Childhood Education
Grand Canyon University
Bachelor of Arts - Elementary Education
Univserity of Northern Iowa
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