Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Recent Professional Development
Timeline
Generic

Sara Babcock

Kalamazoo,MI

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience

Work History

Instructional Literacy Coach

Kalamazoo Public Schools
08.2023 - Current
  • Create engaging lesson materials and differentiated plans to encourage critical thinking and text analysis skills among students and meet the needs of diverse learners.
  • Guide teachers to collect and analyze data and develop action plans in response to determined student needs.
  • Evaluate instructional materials and resources to ensure alignment with district goals and state standards for English Language Arts education.
  • Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities to stay current with literacy research and best practices, ensuring continued growth as an educator and coach.
  • Conduct professional development workshops to train educators on effective literacy strategies, data analysis, and higher order thinking to enhance overall instructional quality and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Select and introduce diverse literature into the curriculum, encouraging cultural awareness, relevance, and connection among students.
  • Collaborate in the development of cross-curricular projects that integrate disciplinary literacy skills into other subject areas, deepening student understanding.
  • Contribute to the development of school-wide literacy initiatives to promote student achievement across all subject areas. Participate in the Instructional Rounds process in support of building initiatives.

English Language Arts Curriculum Team Writer

Kalamazoo Public Schools
06.2012 - Current
  • Collaborate to create, plan, adapt, and embed curricular materials into the English Language Arts pacing guides at the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade levels.
  • Produce formative, summative, and district unit checkpoint assessments aligned to content standards.
  • Create resources to support implementation and differentiation of curriculum.
  • Coach teachers to access curricular materials and integrate them into their instructional plans and routines.

Middle School English and Language Arts Teacher

Maple Street Middle School
08.2011 - 06.2023
  • Promoted a love of reading by maintaining an extensive classroom library featuring diverse authors, genres, and topics.
  • Increased student comprehension by implementing diverse instructional strategies tailored to individual learning needs.
  • Contributed positively to school culture by participating in faculty meetings, committees, and events aimed at improving overall student experience.
  • Encouraged independent thought, good judgment, and expression of original ideas.
  • Participated in professional development opportunities, staying current on best practices in teaching English and Language Arts.
  • Communicated regularly with parents about student progress, highlighting achievements and addressing concerns as needed.
  • Evaluated academic skills of each student through verbal assessments, graded assignments, and standardized tests.
  • Promoted effective verbal and written communication through listening, speaking, reading, and writing practice.
  • Managed classroom behavior effectively, setting clear expectations and addressing issues promptly and fairly.
  • Mentored new teachers within the department, sharing resources and offering guidance for successful lesson planning and classroom management.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Elementary Education

Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI

Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI

Spring Arbor University
Kalamazoo, MI

Skills

  • Intentional Coaching & Collaboration with Educators
  • Adaptability, Flexibility, & Task Prioritization
  • Collaborative Learning & Literacy Research Seeking
  • Data-driven Instructional Planning
  • Utilization of literacy strategies aligned with the Essential Instructional Practices Disciplinary Literacy
  • Development of Curriculum Pacing, Resources, & Assessment
  • Facilitation of Research Aligned Professional Development

Recent Professional Development

  • Maximize Impact Through Instructional Coaching (KRESA - Based on Jill Jackson’s How to Coach Teachers (Almost) Anything)
  • Leading the PLC Process: Make it Happen
  • District-wide Instructional Rounds PD (Led by Dr. Cooper-Stein, MSU)
  • 2024 MDE Diversity in Literature Symposium: “The Science of Reading Meets the Science of Instruction” (Dr.A.Archer), “Comprehension is an Outcome” Dr.A.Archer), “Getting Ready for Literacy Intervention for Secondary Schools (within the MTSS framework)”
  • Collaborative District Coaches Meetings (focused on Essential Instructional Practices for Early Literacy & information received from MDE quarterly meetings)
  • Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy (Fall 2023-Ongoing)
  • LETRS (Spring 2024-Ongoing)

Timeline

Instructional Literacy Coach

Kalamazoo Public Schools
08.2023 - Current

English Language Arts Curriculum Team Writer

Kalamazoo Public Schools
06.2012 - Current

Middle School English and Language Arts Teacher

Maple Street Middle School
08.2011 - 06.2023

Bachelor of Science - Elementary Education

Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University

Spring Arbor University

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Sara Babcock