Alyssa Taranto views herself as a facilitator of learning rather than an expert, focusing on individualizing instruction based on each student's learning style and needs. Her goals are to create a cooperative and creative environment where she can provide feedback to help students develop as learners and communicators. She emphasizes making personal connections with students and engaging them through critique and self-reflection to surface their knowledge and encourage application and growth.

1. 781{ }
552.1850
alyssataranto@gmail.com
alyssa m.taranto
11 Ganley Dr.
Burlington Ma, 01803
I view myself primarily as a facilitator of learning, rather than an expert who pours information into the
students minds. When planning a lesson or interacting with students, I am exceptionally conscious of each student's
different learning styles and rates; what they have already learned and what they will need to learn in the future. As
an educator in art and design, I plan to maintain a cooperative and creative environment where I can provide as
much individualized attention as possible. Creating an intimate supportive environment in which to give regular
and constructive feedback is critical to the role of a facilitator in creative education.
My goal is to have students to develop simultaneously as learners and strong communicators, because the
life lessons students learn are the most important part of my classroom. Additionally, I want my classroom content
to be as diverse in its scope as possible, so that diverse students see themselves included in the art and artists about
which they learn. I am committed to making peer review, critical thinking, and effective communication the focus
of the “creative classroom” in which I teach.
Personal connections with students are essential to my approach. Many need encouragement to
approach their teachers, so I emphasize my availability for informal discussion and my willingness to help them sort
out any problems they have with what they are learning and in life. Through intimate and sustained interactions, I
aim to surface students’ existing knowledge and then encourage them to reflect upon, apply, and strengthen this
knowledge. I help students identify their strengths and recognize what they bring to the classroom, and I also ask
them to also exchange this knowledge with their peers through similar interactions.
I encourage all my students to develop skills of reflection and effective communication, and to see this as
critical to their creative process and production. I ask students to develop articulate assessments and presentations
of their own work. Each project is framed with the expectation that students should see explicit connections
between the original assignment and their creative decisions in response, as well as be able to explain their reason-
ing verbally and in writing. As students build a creative project through exploration, they need the confidence to
translate their intentions to a wider audience. To ensure that students are prepared to articulate their ideas in
advance, I assign students a self-assessment exercise before we gather in a traditional in class critique.
Finally, I believe that transparency of expectations is critical to engaging different types of learners, so
students receive the rubric that I would use to evaluate work and an in depth explanation of the project and expec-
tations. To engage students who learn and produce in different ways, I encourage my students to share both their
process and their out comes with each other, so that they become exposed to the variety of possible responses and
creative outcomes. My process of evaluation is not to compare the students to each other, but rather to evaluate a
student’s progress from the beginning of the term to the end. I appreciate your consideration in becoming part of
your high school, where I can share my love and knowledge of the visual arts.

2. education
academic honors
781{ }
552.1850
alyssataranto@gmail.com
alyssa m.taranto
11 Ganley Dr.
Burlington Ma, 01803
May
2012
December
2014
Endicott College | Beverly, MA
BFA, Graphic Design
Communication Minor
Gordon College | Wenham, MA
M.Ed, Visual Arts 5-12
Massachusetts Initial Teaching License
Sheltered English Immersion Endorsed
2008 -
2012
2014
Endicott College | GPA 3.45
Senior Thesis II Award Nominee
Deans List
Presidential Academic Scholarship
Gordon College | GPA 3.90
experience
January
2014 -
May 2014
Woburn Memorial High School
Grade 9 - 12 | Woburn, MA
Student Teacher
During my time student teaching, I took over the role of
class room teacher for 4 classes. I was given the opportunity
to teach 2 sections of Photoshop and Video Production.
January
2014
Kennedy Middle School
Grade 6 - 8 | Woburn, MA
Teaching Shadow
I was given the opportunity to observe grades 6-8 in the
art room. I got hands on experience with the curriculum
for this age group and how to give directions to the
students.
January
2014
Burlington High School
Grade 9 - 12 | Woburn, MA
Teaching Shadow
During this time I was able to observe a number of
different teachers with different teaching styles. I observed
many different types of art classes from graphic design to
painting, and how to share this information with the
students.
other experience
2012 -
Present
Clothingwarehouse.com | Woburn, MA
Lead Graphic Designer
Production Manager
This is a company that specializes in screen printing &
embroidery. I create the designs and then manage to
production process from the idea to completion.
Volunteer
Burlington Hockey & Skating Association
I have been part of this program since 1997. For the first 11
years I was a member as a figure skater, training and also
teaching younger skaters. Since I graduated from the
program in 2008, I have been volunteering my graphic
design services by designing the t-shirts and program covers
for their annual skating show.
Summer
2012
Camp Lenox | Lee, MA
Office Manager
I facilitated communication between parents, councilors
and the campers. Including day to day responsibilities.
2009 -
2012
Endicott College | Beverly, MA
Peer Tutor
An on campus tutor, who assisted peers in many graphic
design classes & Introduction to Computer Science.
2012 Private Tutor | Beverly, MA
Worked 1:1 with a middle school student, to help her raise
her grades in a few different subjects
Fall
2011
GAP Promotions | Gloucester, MA
Graphic Design Intern
A full-service promo agency helping some of the world's
leading companies increase brand recognition & sales.
Winter
2010
DSI Marketing | Chelmsford, Ma
Graphic Design Intern
A team of designers, web developers & printers who develop
inspired custom communication solutions for clients.
Winter
2009
Uni Graphic | Woburn, Ma
Graphic Design Intern
Commercial printing, pre-press services, digital printer
and full-service mail house