Maria Kirking-Russo
Ottumwa
Summary
Creative and energetic Early Childhood Education professional devoted to offering diverse activity plans and experiential learning opportunities to enhance individual development. Friendly, supportive and motivated with strong desire to promote student potential. Offering 17 years of experience with passion for building strong rapport with faculty, students and caregivers.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Preschool Teacher
Bright Horizons Child Development Center
09.2008 - Current
- Designed and implemented age-appropriate curriculum fostering cognitive and social development.
- Led classroom activities promoting engagement, creativity, and collaboration among students.
- Mentored junior teachers, providing guidance on best practices in early childhood education.
- Developed individualized learning plans to meet diverse needs of children in care.
- Collaborated with parents to reinforce learning objectives and support child development at home.
- Conducted assessments to track progress and identify areas for improvement in student outcomes.
- Managed classroom environment, ensuring safety standards and compliance with licensing regulations.
- Established strong relationships with parents through regular communication regarding their child''s progress, fostering increased parental involvement in the educational process.
- Conducted regular parent-teacher conferences to discuss student progress and areas of improvement, encouraging a collaborative approach to education.
- Applied play-based strategies to provide diverse approaches to learning.
- Collaborated with fellow teachers to develop curriculum and share best practices, improving overall classroom effectiveness.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Early Childhood Studies
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN04-2025
Skills
- Creative teaching strategies
- Learning assessment skills
- Parent-teacher communication
- Social skills development
- Classroom management experience
- Curriculum planning
- Afterschool program leadership
Timeline
Lead Preschool Teacher
Bright Horizons Child Development Center
09.2008 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Early Childhood Studies
Walden University