LYNDA SUZANNE SHANKS, M.A.T.

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CONTACT

MissShanks @gmail.com

SKYPE: Suzanne1381 Voicemail & Text: 1.719.357.5837 Mexico: 52.81.2384.2717

  • International Educator - Vocation & Initiative

  • Digital Learning Specialist - Passion & Experience

  • Innovator by Design - Adaptability

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION and CERTIFICATIONS

  • Proven ability to work with children and adults, within classrooms, labs, or professional development environments.

  • 28 years of experience in content-area instruction and Ed Tech Integration, English, and Social Studies.

  • Interim Technology Coordinator K-12 and Technology Chair K-5 at an American international school.

  • 18 years in US public schools of all socio-economic demographics (details below).

  • 10th year in international education.

  • Over 1000 hours of inservice and post-graduate continuing education.

  • Presenter / Trainer to adults both live and online or various organizations and covering varied pedagogical topics, including:

  • Live Curious-Go Beyond 2018 (and upcoming in 2019),

    1. Oracle Education Foundation,

    2. Apple Education

    3. iTunes University,

    4. ESOL Schools.  

  • Initiator of first Hydroponics & Gardening Club at AISA, along with facilitating the fundraising and building of a permanent greenhouse structure on school grounds (which continued past my tenure there).

  • Private tutor in multiple subjects

  • Comfortable in 1:1 Device/Bring Your Own Device, Windows/Office 365, Google Apps for Education, Android or platform-neutral environments.

  • Helped facilitate an international elementary school's 1:1 iPad Rollout

  • Professionally trained and / or officially certified in:

    • Technology Education K-

    • General Education K-8

    • Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education (TEFL)

    • International Baccalaureate Primary Years,

    • Flipped and Blended Learning,

    • K-8 English, including Common Core State Standards

    • K-8 Social Studies, including C-3 Inquiry-Based Standards.

  • Masters of Arts in Teaching - Emphasis and Thesis n Educational Technology Integration, The Colorado College

  • Bachelor of Arts in Communication, University of Colorado

MEMBERSHIPS AND SERVICE TO THE PROFESSION

  • Computer Science Teachers Association - 3 years

    1. International Society for Technology in Education (Member of International Educator, EdTech Coach, and Learning Spaces PLN's) - 15+ years

    2. National Council of Teachers of English - several years

    3. National Council for Social Studies - several years

    4. Association for Middle Level Education - several years

SAMPLING OF PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

Introduction to Flipping and Blending Your Classroom K-12.  Workshop presented at American School Foundation's annual professional development conference, "Live Curious, Go Beyond 2018" where teachers from all over Latin America attend.

Device Agnostic BYOD Tools Staff Development.  Workshop presented at Education Services Overseas Limited's Cairo, Egypt, "Bi-Annual Professional Development Conference" in October, 2015 (File compression may result in lower image quality.)

Introduction to SAMR Model of Technology Integration.  Inservice delivered to KG-5 Staff at a pre-service PD session in August 2015.   (File compression may have reduced image quality.)

Getting Started With Your iPad Rollout  This was one segment of several resources and trainings provided to K-5 staff prior to their first year of 1:1 iPad integration.

Introduction to Digital Storytelling.  One of the many training documents made for Colorado Springs School District Eleven in the US.

Intro to Oracle Education Foundation. Slideshow outline of one of the of the many teacher training events facilitated "Oracle Education Foundation" workshops in Denver, South Dakota, Florida, Egypt, New Mexico, and more.  Many of the trainings were about Project Based Learning, Think.com and 21st Century Skills. (Those Oracle web products were since phased out.)

SAMPLE STANDARDIZED TESTING PERFORMANCE DATA

Spring 2018: On their first test using the Common-Core version of the MAP, children in Grade 7 and 8 classes, who are all ELL's, performed an average of 7.2 points above Mean RIT for their grade level and 4 points above MEAN RIT for their District on NWEA MAP Reading Tests.

Students in Grade 7 and 8 classes, who are all ELL's, performed an average of 3.4 points above Mean RIT for their grade level on and 3.3 points above MEAN RIT for their District on NWEA MAP Language Tests. ”

via teach.mapnwea.org

DETAILS OF PRIOR EMPLOYMENT

American School Foundation of Monterrey (2016 - present) Mexico

  • Teacher of English, Social Studies and Passion Projects in Grades 7 and 8

  • Standards-Based Grading Initiative Team

  • Digital Teacher-Innovators Team

  • Facilitator, ASFM Teachers & Friends Book Club

  • Founder, 7th Grade Intensive Care Unit (after-school academic help lab)

 

International School of Abu Dhabi (2013 – 2016) UAE

  • Interim Technology Coordinator, 2015

  • Information Technology Instructor, Grades 1-5

  • Chair, Pre-K to Grade 5 Technology Team

  • Grade 8 English and History during pilot BYOD year

  • Administer/Oversee NWEA MAP Testing, Elementary

  • Facilitator, Apple iTunes University pilot and Author, iTunes University courses

  • Facilitator, Mentor and Teacher during decades of internet trends

  • Private tutor of children in literacy & math; adults in professional-business-technical English

Mann Middle School, Oracle Education Foundation, High Plains Elementary, Jenkins Middle School, Emerson Middle School, Canon Elementary, Calhan K-12 School, Rockrimmon Elementary (1994-2013) USA

  • Early Adaptor: Sharpened pedagogy by teaching in labs, traditional classrooms, 1:1, online and more

  • Trainer: School, district, international, and corporate foundation levels, face-to-face and online

  • Technologist: Apple and Windows, fluent in Android and Windows Mobile

  • Innovator: several years’ experience in informal and formal BYOD classrooms and labs

  • Mentor: Coached many new educators both formally and informally

  • Servant Leader: Technology Curriculum and Committee Chairperson several times in several schools

  • Lifelong Learner: Continuous pursuit of professional development far beyond requirements.

  • Community Member: involved in digital Personal Learning Networks over a decade as well as volunteering for scouting, animal rescue, city-wide book studies, urban gardens, and church-run programs

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS

  • Facilitator, City-Wide Book Club

  • Facilitator, City-Wide EdTech Specialists Meetup

  • Sponsor before- and after-school activities like Girl Gamers and Code Jockeys, Hydroponic/Vertical Gardening, Summer Camps, Middle School Cycling Club, Morning Book Study, Science Camp, Gifted Learner Camp

  • Serve on numerous committees, e.g. Positive Behavior Intervention Support Teams, Building Leadership Teams, Response to Intervention Teams, Volunteer Appreciation Teams

  • District-wide standardized assessments in Social Studies Lead Team

  • Lead face-to-face and online professional study groups both on my own initiative and at supervisors’ request.  

  • Serve as Language Arts, Wellness, and 21st Century/Individualized Learning Teams chairperson

WORK HISTORY PRIOR TO EDUCATION

  • Full-time and Contractor and Legal Assistant for 9 years, Office Manager for 2 years

  • Owned small businesses (property management, audio/video production services, snow removal, training)

  • Worked full time, operated these businesses, and obtained two degrees despite intense personal hardships and single parenting, displaying a proven ability to rebound and retool as necessary