MEAGAN WHITAKER
Summary
Dedicated early childhood educator with a commitment to child-centered, developmentally appropriate practice. Experienced mentor teacher with three years of coaching student teachers through observation, reflection, and instructional support. Proven ability to cultivate calm, engaging learning environments that foster independence, social development, and academic growth. Collaborative professional with expertise in curriculum planning, behavior guidance, and family engagement.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
W.S. Ryan Elementary Denton ISD
01.2022 - Current
- UNT mentor to future teachers, with yearly trainings to provide in-depth feedback while training for their future classroom.
- Creates a safe and welcoming classroom that fosters the importance of social-emotional learning for younger learners.
- Manages classroom with expectations and procedures in place initially to maintain a structured classroom.
- Uses conscious discipline when working with behaviors and creating classroom rules.
- Incorporate play-based learning daily in the classroom by pairing a lesson with a developmentally appropriate center.
- Establish and maintain a line of communication with parents through teacher conferences back-and-forth folders, and daily interaction at student pick-up.
1st Grade Teacher
W.S. Ryan Elementary Denton ISD
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Collaborated with colleagues weekly to implement workshop-style teaching in all subject areas.
- Planned, monitored and implemented guided reading groups resulting in a 20% increase in students meeting grade-level reading standards.
- Communicated and collaborated with parents weekly about the progress of their students while also building relationships.
- Regularly used formative and summative assessment data to plan differentiated learning activities focused on increasing academic achievement.
3rd Grade Teacher
W.S. Ryan Elementary Denton ISD
01.2019 - 01.2021
- Incorporated new technology daily in the classroom to encourage students’ enthusiasm for learning.
- Prepared students for standardized tests during the year with the majority of the class being online due to Covid 19. Planned and organized lessons to engage both online students and in-person students simultaneously.
1st / Kindergarten integrated classroom Teacher
Lida Hooe Elementary Dallas ISD
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Planned appropriate and engaging lessons for a wide range of learners to accommodate individual learning styles.
- Conducted formative and summative assessments and used this data to plan differentiated instruction. Worked with colleagues to create weekly and yearly goals that were aligned with campus and district goals to best meet student needs.
Education
Bachelor of General Studies - Education
West Texas A&M University
Canyon, TX12.2017
Skills
- Positive reinforcement
- Classroom management
- Strong work ethic and dependable
- Team collaboration
- Relationship building
- Student engagement and development
Timeline
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
W.S. Ryan Elementary Denton ISD
01.2022 - Current
1st Grade Teacher
W.S. Ryan Elementary Denton ISD
01.2021 - 01.2022
3rd Grade Teacher
W.S. Ryan Elementary Denton ISD
01.2019 - 01.2021
1st / Kindergarten integrated classroom Teacher
Lida Hooe Elementary Dallas ISD
01.2018 - 01.2019
Bachelor of General Studies - Education
West Texas A&M University