Patrick Lau
Salem
Summary
As a Special Education Teacher, I worked with a variety of students of all ages and disabilities, from those who were medically fragile to visually impaired. In order to accommodate them, I collaborate with the other resource teachers and the adult supports to come up with the best lesson or unit. In the past, we have been working on a solar system unit which integrates Science, Math, and Language Arts. We used paper mache to create each planet and all my students were able to participate, regardless of their disability. In fact, my older students were able to help the younger ones with their planets. Each student were responsible for their own research and presentation. Some decided to do a poster while others used picture representations to communicate their planet. It was an amazing sight to see the students learning and helping each other. Their disability was not an excuse that they could not be part of the class. I am a strong advocate for my students and will do everything within my power to make sure they get all the support they need to succeed in all areas of their lives.
Besides making sure that all my students participate in the lesson, I keep in consistent contact with their General Education Teachers. As I stated above, communication is key! Not only do we discuss our students, we collaborate on how we can support one another in the classroom. I am currently conferencing with the teachers at least once a month. One of my goals is to make sure that they never feel unequipped in teaching our students. I want to bridge the gap that Special Education and General Education are two different entities.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
LRC Teacher
Washington Elementary School
08.2023 - Current
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs.
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration.
- Instructed students with physical and cognitive disabilities.
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of neurodiverse students.
- Partnered with standard education teachers from across academic departments.
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement.
- Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule.
- Encouraged students to take ownership of learning by providing choices.
- Implemented behavior modification techniques to improve student social and academic performance.
- Helped students with special needs integrate into general classroom environments by advocating for individual requirements and helping teachers solve problems.
- Monitored student performance to evaluate effectiveness of instructional strategies.
- Designed individual education plans to encourage student growth according to different learning abilities and needs.
- Collaborated with other educators to develop instructional strategies.
- Developed and implemented behavior management plans to improve student behavior.
- Planned daily activities to keep students engaged and on track with learning goals.
- Mentored new teachers on student progress monitoring and legal document preparation.
- Developed Individual Education Plans for students with special needs.
- Provided emotional support to students and families.
- Improved behavior by modeling positive choices and teaching socially-acceptable options.
- Worked closely with parents and guardians to address students' issues on multiple fronts.
- Facilitated small group instruction to address individual learning needs.
- Conducted assessments of students to determine individual needs.
Special Education Teacher
Likelike Elementary School
01.2011 - 06.2023
- Pre-School, Kindergarten - 5th grade
- Inclusion setting 3rd - 4th grade
- Resource and Fully Self-Contained Class
Special Education Teacher
Ala Wai Elementary School
01.2010 - 05.2011
- Resource Room - 3rd Grade
Education
Master of Science - Master of Science in Education
Western Oregon University
Salem, OR06-2025
Bachelors in Education - Elementary Education And Special Education
University of Hawaii At Manoa
Honolulu, HI05-2010
Skills
- Relationship building
- Student rapport
- Student engagement
- Special needs students
- Team building
- Excellent classroom management
- Parental participation
- Behavior management
- IEP planning
- Small group instruction
Accomplishments
- Special Education Department chairperson for 2 years in Hawaii.
- Trained fellow teachers on the procedures for completing Individual Education Plans.
Certification
- State Teaching License in Special Education - Hawaii and Oregon Department of Education.
- State Teaching License in Elementary Education - Hawaii and Oregon Department of Education.
- Elementary Education Certification - Hawaii and Oregon Department of Education.
- Special Education Certification - Hawaii and Oregon Department of Education.
Timeline
LRC Teacher
Washington Elementary School
08.2023 - Current
Special Education Teacher
Likelike Elementary School
01.2011 - 06.2023
Special Education Teacher
Ala Wai Elementary School
01.2010 - 05.2011
Master of Science - Master of Science in Education
Western Oregon University
Bachelors in Education - Elementary Education And Special Education
University of Hawaii At Manoa
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