Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Additional Information
Timeline
Generic

Tonya Lemmons

Denver,CO

Summary

Inquisitive, patient educationalist committed to promoting student confidence and facilitating students on their journey toward discovering their identity, purpose, and direction. Dedicated to expressing my love for learning for its own sake and seizing every opportunity to build trusting relationships by prioritizing authenticity and integrity. Comprehensive experience teaching diverse students to optimize their learning opportunities. Familiar with developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive teaching practices and experienced in creating nurturing learning environments that promote academic excellence through hands-on activities and individualized support. Committed to fostering positive educational outcomes and utilizing data to inform instruction. Strong communication and organizational skills. Skillful in sharing knowledge, concepts, and lived experiences with students and building a rapport with the adults who love them. Collaborative and decisive leader with outstanding multitasking and mentoring abilities. Demonstrated success with students with learning differences. Highly motivated with a desire to take on new challenges. Strong work ethic, adaptability, and exceptional interpersonal skills. Adept at working effectively, unsupervised, and in a timely manner.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Early Childhood Music Educator

Community Resources, Inc
Denver, CO
10.2016 - Current
  • Introduced students to different styles of music and promoted appreciation of all genres.
  • Engaged with children on individual basis to build positive, trusting relationships.
  • Read stories to children and integrate the music with book themes.
  • Organized creative and fun activities, enhancing children's physical, emotional and social well-being.
  • Built and strengthened positive relationships with students, parents and teaching staff.
  • Planned and implemented lessons using various teaching strategies to meet diverse student needs.
  • Observed children to record development.
  • Incorporated music and art activities to encourage creativity and expression.
  • Created and enforced child-based, hands-on curriculum to promote student interest and receptive learning.

Private Tutor

Self-employed
Denver, CO
01.2009 - Current
  • Researched or recommend textbooks, software, equipment, or other learning materials to complement tutoring.
  • Prepared students for standardized tests, ACT exams and advanced course placements.
  • Provided private instruction to individual or small groups of students to improve academic performance.
  • Assessed student progress at each session, making recommendations that increased effectiveness of tutoring and lessons.
  • Assisted students in finding useful study methods to enhance academic performance.
  • Traveled to student's home or to another place of student's choice to conduct tutoring sessions.
  • Researched and recommended textbooks, software and other learning materials to complement tutoring.
  • Coached tutees in study skills, note-taking, organization and time management.
  • Outlined unique lessons to fit individual needs in skill building and instruction on each subject.
  • Emphasized importance of good study habits and devised homework schedules to assist students in implementing tailored study plans.
  • Coached students through challenging material with positive reinforcement and encouragement.
  • Collaborated with parents and teachers to determine student needs, develop tutoring plans and assess student progress.

Director and Teacher

Tales 'N Tunes
Denver, CO
10.2007 - Current
  • Created and fostered a developmentally appropriate, rich language and musical environment so all children could develop a disposition toward becoming life-long readers and music-makers.
  • Guided instruction by mentoring teachers to improve leadership and teaching effectiveness.
  • Set pricing structures according to market analytics and emerging trends.
  • Created and implemented marketing and advertising strategies to support revenue goals and promote strategic growth.
  • Used excellent verbal skills to engage customers in conversation and effectively determine needs and requirements.
  • Used strong issue resolution and communication skills to cultivate and strengthen lasting client relationships.
  • Monitored inventory levels and placed new orders for merchandise to keep supply well-stocked.
  • Implemented hands-on, play-based strategies for experiential learning.

Learning Support Teacher

St. Elizabeth's School
Denver, CO
08.2023 - 06.2024
  • Offered personalized academic and executive functioning support to students through individualized and small-group interventions.
  • Fostered strong relationships with teachers and staff members to cultivate a collaborative, team-based approach to teaching and learning.
  • Observed, evaluated, and assessed individual students displaying academic or behavioral difficulties to determine learning strengths and weaknesses.
  • Reviewed and interpreted psycho-educational evaluations in order to create effective and sustainable learning support plans for students.
  • Collaborated with teachers to ensure understanding and implementation. Developed and updated learning support plans for students in intervention, documenting progress and data.
  • Assisted in organizing and overseeing universal screening, student benchmarking, and standardized testing in the middle school, including coordinating accommodations needed for students.
  • Evaluated student progress, utilizing data to guide instruction and intervention, and communicated in line with report cards.
  • Coached students and teachers in using assistive technology.
  • Empowered families with effective strategies to enhance their child's academic performance at home.
  • Participated in professional development activities related to UDL and current trends in instructional interventions.
  • Created engaging visual aids, set up the necessary equipment, and designed captivating classroom displays to optimize the learning experience.
  • Conducted small group and individual classroom activities with students based on differentiated learning needs.
  • Collaborated with core teachers to include students in classroom activities.
  • Developed interesting and interactive learning methods tailored to help students with individual needs.
  • Established and maintained dynamic working relationships with students and parents to support classroom objectives.
  • Cultivated classroom environment focused on inclusion and growth, fostering both social and academic development.
  • Fostered strong connections with students and caregivers by maintaining open lines of communication and providing encouraging feedback.
  • Collaborated closely with classroom teachers, administrators, and other professionals to ensure best practices for all students.
  • Worked to develop, implement, and sustain our MTSS framework.

Children's Bookseller

The Bookies Bookstore
Denver, CO
2004 - 2020
  • Researched and maintained knowledge of current and bestselling children's literature to meet the needs of voracious and reluctant young readers.
  • Researched and maintained knowledge on adopted curricula implemented in major public school districts and private and parochial schools in Colorado.
  • Identified and ordered teaching materials that reflected research-based curricula and best practices to meet the needs of teachers from varied school designs and systems.
  • Consulted with new homeschooling families on setting up, homeschool philosophy, materials, and pedagogical approaches.
  • Opened and closed cash registers by counting money, separating charge slips, and balancing drawers.
  • Placed special orders or called other stores to find desired items.
  • Unboxed new merchandise and restocked shelves in appealing, organized arrangements to promote items.
  • Created engaging displays that captured customer interest and boosted sales.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - English

University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
06.1987

Skills

  • Inspiring a student's love of learning
  • Critical and Cognitive Flexibility
  • Good listener
  • Genuinely Committed Team Player
  • Developing Individualized Lessons
  • Recommending Books, math manipulative materials, and digital resources
  • Problem-Solving Support
  • Strong Written and Verbal Communication
  • Building Rapport and Trust
  • Student-Parent-Teacher Collaboration
  • Individual and Small Group Instruction
  • Curriculum Review and Lesson Preparation
  • Differentiated Instruction
  • Relationship Building and Emotional Support
  • Proficient in Google Classroom, Khan Academy, I-Ready, Desmos, Phet Simulations, IXL, Mathspad, Big Ideas Math, Illustrative Math, Math in Focus, Bridges Math, Connected Math Project Virtual Math Manipulatives, PearDeck, EdGenuity, Commonlit, Grammarflip Quill, Learning Ally, Kahoot, Quizlet DBQOnline, AP Central, BrainPop, CMAS, ISEE, SSAT, HSPT, PSAT,SAT,ACT Test Preparation, College Essay Writing,

Additional Information

  • Director of Kirkland AME Tutorial Program ( 2010-2012)
  • Paddington Station Preschool: Music Teacher (2010-2012)
  • Private Tutor Experience:
  • Tutored students in language immersion programs: taught Chinese-first language to read and write English
  • Facilitated middle school students to take ownership for their learning and empowered them with the resources to reach grade level in reading, writing and math and accelerated students who needed more challenge.
  • Facilitated my students being accepted to the following learning institutions/programs:
  • Kent Denver
  • Regis Jesuit High School
  • St. Anne's Episcopal School
  • Graland Country Day School
  • Phillips Academy Andover
  • Phillips Academy Exeter
  • Choate Rosemary Hall
  • The Hotchkiss School
  • The Thatcher School
  • Stanford Summer Program, Medill Journalism Program (Northwestern), Johns Hopkins Talent Search
  • College Acceptances
  • Harvard University
  • Soaz University of London (top African Studies Program)
  • Colorado College
  • Claremont Mckenna College
  • Pomona College
  • UC Berkeley
  • Spelman College
  • Mount St. Mary's University
  • Northern Arizona University Honors Program
  • Grambling State University

Timeline

Learning Support Teacher

St. Elizabeth's School
08.2023 - 06.2024

Early Childhood Music Educator

Community Resources, Inc
10.2016 - Current

Private Tutor

Self-employed
01.2009 - Current

Director and Teacher

Tales 'N Tunes
10.2007 - Current

Children's Bookseller

The Bookies Bookstore
2004 - 2020

Bachelor of Arts - English

University of California - Los Angeles

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Tonya Lemmons