Martha Torres
Aurora,CO
Summary
Passionate Teacher with experience developing and implementing diverse curriculums covering wide range of subjects. Highly skilled at motivating students through positive encouragement and reinforcement of concepts via interactive classroom instruction and observation. Successful in helping students develop strong literacy, numeracy, social and learning skills. Energetic educator with proven skills in teaching diverse subjects. Keep classrooms organized and students on-task to facilitate effective learning. Diligent and adaptable in meeting individual student needs with warm, safe educational environments. Compassionate, creative and effective Teacher with valuable experience in classroom administration, professional development and project planning. Equipped with extensive background in versatile education environments. Student-centric instructor, academic facilitator and motivational coach. Competent at performing independently or as member of teaching team. Well-versed in classroom and online technologies.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Bilingual Pre-Kinder Teacher
Denver Public Schools
09.2021 - Current
- Teach Spanish and English to pre-k students. Serve as Bilingual Content Lead for Sandra Todd Williams Academy.
- Establish clear objectives for each lesson, effectively communicating expectations to students and ensuring successful outcomes.
- Monitor student progress in both Spanish growth and Spanish fluency.
- Participate in staff meetings to advocate for students of different backgrounds.
- Implement behavior modification strategies, resulting in improved self-regulation and classroom participation among students.
- Develop strong relationships with students, parents, and colleagues by maintaining open lines of communication and fostering a supportive learning environment.
- Work cooperatively with other teachers, administrators, and parents to help students reach learning objectives.
- Manage classroom behavior effectively by establishing clear expectations, modeling appropriate conduct, and consistently enforcing established rules and consequences.
- Assist in creating a safe and nurturing classroom environment that promoted emotional well-being and academic growth for all students.
- Support student physical, mental, and social development using classroom games and activities.
- Approximately 95 percent of my students can write a sentence in Spanish by the end of the school year by setting high expectations for all my students.
- Developed strong relationships with students, parents, and colleagues by maintaining open lines of communication and fostering a supportive learning environment.
- Worked cooperatively with other teachers, administrators, and parents to help students reach learning objectives.
Pre-K Facilitator
Aurora Public Schools
08.2019 - 09.2021
- Taught Spanish and English to pre-k students.
- Built rapport with diverse groups of stakeholders by demonstrating empathy, active listening skills, and cultural competence during facilitated sessions.
- Used diverse teaching materials and motivational approaches to reduce learning gaps and instruct students.
- Fostered an inclusive learning environment by addressing diverse needs and adapting facilitation techniques as needed.
- Approximately 98 percent of my students knew how to write a short sentence, pre-k level.
Substitute Teacher
Kelly Educational Staffing
08.2018 - 05.2019
- Substitute taught all grades and all subjects.
- Monitored the safety of all students.
- Followed classroom plans left by class teacher to continue student education and reinforce core concepts.
- Upheld classroom routines to support student environments and maintain consistent schedules.
- Assisted in creating a safe and nurturing classroom environment that promoted emotional well-being and academic growth for all students.
- Developed strong rapport with students through consistent encouragement and support, fostering a positive learning atmosphere conducive to academic growth.
- Managed approximately 30 students per class per day.
- Kept students on-task with proactive behavior modification and positive reinforcement strategies.
- Maintained day-to-day classroom management and discipline to promote learning initiatives.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Spanish/French (B.A.)
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX12.1984
M. Ed. - Bilingual/ESL (M.Ed.)
Texas Wesleyan University
Fort Worth, TX06.1996
M. Ed. - Principal (M.Ed.)
University of Texas At Arlington
Arlington, TX06.2004
Skills
- Classroom Management
- Critical Thinking
- Lesson Planning
- Motivating students
- Behavior Management
- Student Engagement
- Parent-Teacher Communication
- Growth Mindset
Certification
- Principal
- Early Childhood
- Bilingual/ESL
- English
- Spanish
- French
Summary Information
- Excellent communication and teaching ability
- Applying real-world stories to make abstract concepts easier to understand
- Utilizing thinking maps to aid comprehension in reading
- Utilizing manipulatives in math to increase learning
- Maximizing critical thinking skills across the curriculum
- Work effectively with students, faculty, parents and volunteers
- Experience of working with students with learning disabilities
- Experience of being a department chairperson and initiating new programs
- Experience of being a bilingual leader/mentor with LPAC committees for bilingual students
- Experience of being nominated Teacher of the Year for two years
- Bilingual in Spanish and English
Volunteer Experience
El Paso and Aurora, 2014, 2018, Volunteered at my local church and local elementary school in El Paso, TX and Aurora, CO.
Reading, Writing, Baking, Exercising and Traveling
I like to read children's book and young adult books. I journal everyday on the extraordinary and the daily wonders of the day. Baking has been one of my passions since I learned to read a recipe. I exercise 4-5 days a week from walking, lifting weights and getting on the rebounder. I have traveled to many cities in Mexico, South America and Europe.
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Bilingual Pre-Kinder Teacher
Denver Public Schools
09.2021 - Current
Pre-K Facilitator
Aurora Public Schools
08.2019 - 09.2021
Substitute Teacher
Kelly Educational Staffing
08.2018 - 05.2019
Bachelor of Arts - Spanish/French (B.A.)
Texas Tech University
M. Ed. - Bilingual/ESL (M.Ed.)
Texas Wesleyan University
M. Ed. - Principal (M.Ed.)
University of Texas At Arlington