Mary Gillespie
North Haven,CT
Summary
Experienced with developing and implementing age-appropriate activities that foster growth and development in young children. Utilizes effective communication skills to engage with both children and parents, ensuring supportive and inclusive environment. Knowledge of early childhood education principles and techniques, ensuring high standard of care and learning.
Friendly and energetic Early Childhood Professional with 15+ years in ECE. Motivated to help children develop social, academic, and creative abilities to foster well-being and progress. Well-versed in developmental milestones and activities to promote curiosity and engagement.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Toddler Teacher
JCC New Haven
Woodbridge, USA
01.2019 - Current
- Provided structured daily routines that balanced physical activity, cognitive development, social-emotional growth, and rest periods.
- Led small group activities designed to enhance language skills, fine motor abilities, and problem-solving techniques among toddlers, ages 2.2 to 3.5 years old.
- Collaborated with parents to establish consistent routines and maintain open communication channels for optimal child support.
- Observed children to identify individuals in need of additional support and developed strategies to improve assistance.
- Enhanced learning experiences by incorporating age-appropriate activities and play-based teaching methods.
- Managed classroom materials and resources effectively to ensure a well-stocked learning environment at all times.
- Adapted teaching methods and materials to accommodate diverse learning styles among toddlers effectively.
- Allowed for ample outdoor discovery time in schedule each day.
- Ensured all children felt valued, respected, and included within the classroom by fostering a culture of empathy and support.
- Worked closely with fellow teachers to share ideas, exchange feedback, and collaborate on curriculum planning efforts across classrooms.
Toddler Lead Teacher
Red Barn Children's Center
Connecticut, USA
08.2018 - 01.2019
- Provided support during transitions between classrooms or activities, ensuring smooth adjustments for young children, ages 1.5 to 3 years old.
- Managed classroom materials effectively, ensuring a clean, organized space conducive to learning at all times.
- Increased parent involvement in children''s education by maintaining open communication and providing regular updates on child progress.
- Maintained a safe and nurturing environment by adhering to state regulations and implementing consistent routines for care.
- Participated in ongoing professional development to stay current with best practices in early childhood education.
- Developed strong relationships with parents, fostering trust and collaboration in supporting their child''s development.
- Sanitized toys and play equipment each day to maintain safety and cleanliness.
- Established positive relationships with students and families.
- Guided students to develop social, emotional and physical skills.
- Modeled positive behavior and communication skills for students.
- Kept classroom and feeding areas clean, neat, and safe.
- Promoted development of social, emotional, and communication skills in infants and toddlers.
- Provided thorough documentation of each child''s day-to-day activities, achievements, concerns, or incidents for both internal records and parental review upon request.
- Observed children to identify individuals in need of additional support and developed strategies to improve assistance.
- Assessed developmental milestones and provided regular updates to parents on their child''s progress.
- Fostered independence by encouraging self-help skills such as feeding, dressing, and toileting.
Infant Teacher
Patriots Childcare Center
Odenton, USA
08.2017 - 01.2018
- Responsible for the daily care of 6 infants, ages ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months old.
- Kept classroom and feeding areas clean, neat, and safe.
- Maintained a safe, nurturing environment for infants by adhering to health and safety regulations.
- Sanitized toys and play equipment each day to maintain safety and cleanliness.
- Managed personal hygiene requirements with frequent diaper changes, use of bibs, and monitoring of behaviors.
- Developed strong relationships with parents to foster trust and open communication regarding their child''s wellbeing.
- Provided thorough documentation of each child''s day-to-day activities, achievements, concerns, or incidents for both internal records and parental review upon request.
- Promoted development of social, emotional, and communication skills in infants.
- Implemented positive reinforcement techniques to promote desirable behavior among infants.
- Managed daily routines efficiently while maintaining flexibility to accommodate any unforeseen changes or challenges throughout the day.
- Utilized a variety of teaching methods, including storytelling, music, and visual aids, to stimulate infant curiosity and interest in learning.
- Adhered to parent preferences and legal requirements for feeding breast-milk, formula and solids to infants.
- Assessed developmental milestones and provided regular updates to parents on their child''s progress.
Nursery Curriculum Coordinator
Kids Town/Breiman Schools
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
10.2014 - 10.2015
- Provided coaching and mentoring to teachers, nurturing their growth as professionals and contributing to a positive school culture.
- Responsible for overseeing all aspects of classroom program planning and management for 6 classrooms.
- Conducted written performance reviews of classroom teachers.
- Worked with nursery teachers on learning about and implementing increased technology for communication.
- Also, worked alongside the director / owner as an ambassador for the expatriate parents and students.
- Organized curricular events such as workshops or conferences that fostered collaboration between school faculty members.
- Collaborated with administrators to determine course objectives.
- Designed, implemented, and managed successful training programs to meet department and school needs.
- Reached out to vendors to evaluate available curriculums and associated materials.
- Supported the transition from traditional assessment methods towards more authentic performance-based evaluations.
Montessori Assistant
Tomorrow Montessori Center
Hanahan, USA
07.2011 - 07.2013
- Worked in a Toddler/Pre-Primary classroom with a class of 12 children, ranging in age from 20-36 months
- Utilized strategies to encourage thinking, reasoning, problem-solving skills, and practical life
- Developed age-appropriate lesson plans to aide child learning whilst fostering a child focused classroom environment
Preschool Teacher
Kids Island Nursery
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
08.2007 - 07.2010
- I have had the sole responsibility of teaching a class of 15, 2-3 year olds in a structured environment, utilizing a British Curriculum
- As a Nursery Teacher I've taken the responsibility of teaching theoretical lessons, practical sessions of lessons taught, coordinating games and fun activities among the children
- I planned and organized a variety of activities, individually and as a group; namely play, dance, singing, arts & crafts in which helped the children to bring out their talents and improve their skills
- In addition, I was responsible for submitting a monthly newsletter, daily reports, written assessments/child profile every term, and occasional parent-teacher workshops with the headmistress
Lead Toddler Teacher
The Weinstein School
Dunwoody, GA
01.2003 - 06.2007
- Created a nurturing classroom environment that supported the social-emotional growth of young learners, from 2.5 to 3.5 years old.
- Promoted early literacy skills through engaging storytime sessions, interactive word games, and letter recognition activities.
- Maintained accurate records of student attendance, behavior incidents, and academic progress, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with school policies.
- Developed strong relationships with parents through regular communication, resulting in increased involvement in their children''s education.
- Provided individualized support for children with special needs or developmental delays, working closely with specialists to implement appropriate interventions.
- Developed innovative activities to engage young children in learning process.
- Encouraged use of technology to support student learning.
Education
Some College (No Degree) - Associate of Arts
Post University
Waterbury, CTSkills
- EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- Classroom experience
- Infant Care / Toddler Care
- Early childhood education
- Microsoft Office
- Special Education / Autism Experience
- Classroom Management
- Medication Administration / BLS / PEARS
- Computer Skills
- Patience and empathy
- Observation and assessment
- Data entry / Administrative duties
- Support services / Special needs support
- Documentation and record keeping
- Parent-teacher communication
Accomplishments
- Transitioned facility from paper to electronic filing system.
- Managed classroom of 8-15 children age 2.5 to 3.5, maintaining a safe, nurturing environment.
- Translated for Spanish, Arabic, and Hebrew-speaking parents and guardians to enfranchise them in childcare options.
- Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets.
Certification
- First Aid Certification
- CPR Certification
- Child Development Associate Certification
Additional Information - Key Qualifications
- Have excellent communication skills to deliver and present learning effectively.
- Can create an enthusiastic environment and make learning a happy journey amongst children.
- Creative and imaginative blend which helps deliver lessons in a practical and interesting manner.
- A caring attitude to attend to children's needs and concerns in time.
Personal Information
- Willing To Relocate: Anywhere
- Authorized To Work: US for any employer
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Limited Working
Arabic
Limited Working
Hebrew
Limited Working
Timeline
Toddler Teacher
JCC New Haven
01.2019 - Current
Toddler Lead Teacher
Red Barn Children's Center
08.2018 - 01.2019
Infant Teacher
Patriots Childcare Center
08.2017 - 01.2018
Nursery Curriculum Coordinator
Kids Town/Breiman Schools
10.2014 - 10.2015
Montessori Assistant
Tomorrow Montessori Center
07.2011 - 07.2013
Preschool Teacher
Kids Island Nursery
08.2007 - 07.2010
Lead Toddler Teacher
The Weinstein School
01.2003 - 06.2007
Some College (No Degree) - Associate of Arts
Post University