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Brittany McKenna Resume
- 1. Brittany McKenna ♦(303) 523-5191 ♦ brittmckenna31@gmail.com ♦ Page 1 of 3 BRITTANY MCKENNA 1216 South Beeler Street, Denver, CO 80247 ¡ (303) 523-5191 ¡ brittmckenna31@gmail.com EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL Innovative Approaches ♦ Curriculum Development ♦ Teacher Leadership Creative, goal-oriented, and enthusiastic, a dedicated professional who is committed to providing children meaningful learning experiences that are engaging and challenge the learner to think critically, collaborate, and problem solve. Big-picture thinker with a keen eye on implementation detail and organization. Committed to creating collaborative communities to ensure the achievement of shared mission and goals. Coach teachers to become effective and successful- passionate about competency based adult learning principles and professional development. Utilize data-driven practice while creatively designing lessons to engage every learner. Design curriculum that promotes 21st century skills, is aligned with state standards, and is exciting for the learner. Deep understanding of whole child including social emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children aged Pre-K through Fifth Grade. CORE COMPETENCIES Educational Planning and Implementation • Design, plan, and implement broad range of play-based, integrated, relevant, multi- sensory units of study for Pre-Kindergarten through Fifth Grade using constructivist approach for highly engaged learning; Classroom structure and delivery based on use of workshop model • Work as a member of educational multi-grade level teaching teams to plan and implement educational programs for families • Short-term and long-term educational planning based on program culture and individual academic and social competency goals • Work on an educational inquiry team within ACIS accreditation process to examine the school’s social studies program and structure, observe colleagues utilizing research based techniques, and make recommendations for the school and social studies program; write standards to reflect best practice Curriculum Design and Assessment • Designed integrated curricula across content areas (reading, writing and spelling, math, social studies, science) for use in Pre-Kindergarten through Fifth grade using a backwards design approach (Understanding by Design framework) and essential questions to guide learning • Design rubrics to evaluate student competency in curricular areas; design opportunities for individual and group self-reflection to increase student awareness and ownership of learning • Consultation as curriculum writer for a commercial preschool curriculum using high leverage content, web-based big topic ideas, across five essential domains of learning in early childhood (language and literacy, social-emotional, cognitive, physical health and development, and approaches to learning) • Adaptation of pre-Kindergarten to fifth grade curricula to ensure alignment to current educational content standards; • Integration of technological applications into curriculum content • Design formative and summative assessments to measure understanding within content and skills taught to allow for data-driven practice and reflection Training and Collaboration • Develop collaborative action plans as critical member of team (administrator, parents, teaching and school staff); plans are unique to each child, focused on utilizing a child’s strengths in order to set academic and social goals • Coach alternative licensure interns in high leverage practices to ensure success in the British Primary philosophy in teaching and learning using reflective, data-driven practice approach • Training within the alternative licensure program for teaching interns on development of integrated curriculum and planning for investigative and open-ended experiences tied to content standards
- 2. Brittany McKenna ♦(303) 523-5191 ♦ brittmckenna31@gmail.com ♦ Page 2 of 3 CAREER PROGRESSION 2003 TO PRESENT STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL Denver, CO 3-‐4-‐5 Classroom Teacher 2012-‐Present Created a caring classroom environment for 3rd , 4th , and 5th grade children that encouraged risk-taking, both socially and academically. Collaborated with two teachers and an intern in designing, planning, and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum that was integrated through all content areas in alignment with state standards using recommended teacher competencies. Designed modified curriculum and implemented accommodations and interventions for a diverse range of learners ranging from gifted and talented to those with diagnosed developmental and learning disabilities. Administered and utilized assessments for data driven classroom instruction and intervention. STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM Denver, CO Instructor 2015 Collaborated with a school administrator to design and instruct teaching interns in inquiry based curriculum integrated across content areas. Interns chose meaningful topics, developed essential questions, aligned experience with Colorado State Standards, developed pre- and post-assessments as well as evidence-based demonstrations of learning. STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL Denver, CO Mentor 2012-‐Present Coached interns within the Stanley British Primary School Teacher Preparation Program to design and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum, develop classroom management strategies, and use data to inform practice. Utilized Colorado Teacher Quality Standards as a framework for coaching. PRIVATE INSTRUCTIONAL TUTOR Denver, CO Tutor Summer 2012/13/14 Tutored students in reading, writing, math, and social skills using structured one-on-one and small group environments and research based interventions. Individualized curriculum for children with special needs including those with mild, moderate, and severe learning disabilities. STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL Denver, CO K-‐1-‐2 Classroom Teacher 2010-‐2012 Created a caring classroom environment for Kindergarten, 1st , and 2nd grade children that encouraged risk-taking, both socially and academically. Collaborated with two teachers in designing, planning, and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum that was integrated through all content areas in alignment with state standards using recommended teacher competencies. Administered and utilized assessments for data driven classroom instruction and intervention. STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM Denver, CO Teaching Intern 3rd and 4th Grade Teaching Intern Pre-‐Kindergarten Experienced the British Primary philosophy alongside two master teachers in a third and fourth grade classroom at Stanley BPS and a pre-K classroom at Paddington Station as a full-time intern. HIGHREACH LEARNING, DIVISION OF CARSON-‐DELLOSA PUBLISHING, LLC. Greensboro, NC Early Childhood Curriculum Contract Writer Summer 2010/2011 Conceptualized and wrote comprehensive curriculum guides for use with Pre-K children. Project approach guides were based on integrated, big idea concept webs with over 125 learning experiences covering five domains of learning. All experiences were original, open-ended, geographically and culturally responsive. Experiences were tied to standards for early childhood while being dynamically structured to encourage deep thinking and problem solving skills.
- 3. Brittany McKenna ♦(303) 523-5191 ♦ brittmckenna31@gmail.com ♦ Page 3 of 3 BEV FLEER’S SCHOOL OF DANCE Northglenn, CO Dance Instructor 2003-‐2014 Choreographed and instructed jazz and lyrical dance routines for 7 classes of girls ranging in age from 10-17. Managed recital activities. Demonstrated technical skill needed to develop individual student dance capabilities. Transitioned to dance instructor after having been a student for 12 years. Appointed first dance instructor for the studio after the head dance master stepped down. EDUCATION & TRAINING Educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO in 2007, and a Masters in Educational Psychology from University of Colorado, Denver, CO expected 2016. COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Denver, CO Colorado Professional Early Childhood Education License 2012 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Denver, CO Colorado Initial Early Childhood Education License 2010 STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM Denver, CO Teaching Intern 2009-‐2010 CONTINUING EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS Broad range of ongoing professional development including collaborative teaching within an inclusion setting, Facing History curriculum, writing, math curriculum development using a project approach, social studies curriculum development, teaching to different learning styles (students with dyslexia, autism, Down Syndrome, etc.) Handwriting Without Tears training completed – March 2015 Attended the Public Education and Business Coalition’s Thinking Strategies Institute – January 2015