International Middle School.  Currently I am teaching ESOL 3 (the advanced level ESOL students), ESOL 1 (beginners) World Studies, and Awareness of Languages (part of the foreign language department).  I also work with the other ESOL teacher at SSIMS to fulfill all of the ESOL administrative responsibilities including the monthly ESOL survey and setting accommodations for future testing the students may have.  I am thrilled to be working at SSIMS as it has the diverse population of students with whom I was hoping to work. 

     Prior to teaching in Montgomery County, I taught English as a second language in Madagascar for two years while I was serving as a Peace Corps volunteer.  I have also taught ESOL at private organizations and at a public school in Fairfax County, Virginia.  I am currently part of the George Washington University Teaching Corps Fellowship program, which is a tremendous opportunity to work in a Montgomery County school while completing a graduate degree in Education in the evenings. 

     As you view my portfolio you will see that I have used the Montgomery County Public Schools standards and the Praxis III standards as my guide to evaluate my development as a teacher.  These standards challenge me to provide a comfortable learning environment for students, create lessons that are organized, clear, and relevant to students’ lives, and make the point of reflecting on my performance and seeking advice from the many experienced teachers around me.  With these tools and support I am creating my own teaching style that is flexible and sensitive to the many types of learners that I will encounter as an ESOL teacher in the coming years.