Timothy C.

Why They Want to Substitute Teach

I am pursuing substitute teaching because I am passionate about education and want to make a positive impact on students' lives. As I work towards a teaching certification in Mathematics and a Master's Degree in Special Education at Ramapo College of New Jersey, I will gain valuable teaching experience while supporting students' academic and personal growth. I look toward to working with various grades, collaborating with school staff, and developing my instructional and classroom management skills as I prepare for a full-time teaching career.

About Them

Outside of teaching, tutoring and working with children and adolescents, I creatively expressing my creativity through drawing, painting, playing the piano and singing. I also enjoy staying active such as going to the gym, playing pickleball, swimming, ice skating, and running. I enjoy playing strategy and word games such as Mahjong and Scrabble. I also previously volunteered at my local senior residence, where I hosted bingo games and arts and crafts activities. I believe in being patient, respectful, and committed to lifelong learning, and I strive to bring those qualities into both my personal life and my work with students.

Experience with Children

In my paraprofessional and lunch aide roles, I support students academically, socially, and behaviorally while collaborating effectively with classroom teachers. I supervise and ensure student safety across various school settings, and I assist with academics, snack time, classroom routines, instructional activities, and individualized student support under the teacher’s supervision. I also pursued autism training modules on my own through the OCALI Autism webpage regarding Antecedent-Based Interventions, Sensory Differences, Social Skills, and Intervention Strategies, to strengthen my ability to support students with autism, multiple disabilities, and other related needs. I had also previously interned for my field experience at a middle school where I used assisted with classroom management for up to 30 students, promoting a positive and engaging learning environment. I also collaborated with teachers and other faculty to develop and enhance curriculum materials to align with state standards. I additionally assisted at a school-wide mathematics enrichment event that was organized by the mentor teacher. Aside from my school-based experiences, I work as a private tutor and a piano teacher. I offer individualized lessons to elementary through high school students. I simplified complex tasks into manageable steps and monitored students’ academic and behavioral progress. I additionally utilized positive reinforcement strategies to encourage appropriate behavior and cooperation. From this experience, I strengthened my skills in communication, flexibility, and ability to build positive relationships with students. I have previously volunteered as a teacher assistant in self-contained classrooms during their Extended School Year Program. I have gained expertise in the use of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) strategies and facilitating students’ academic and social development through individualized instruction and behavior modeling. My experiences has helped me adapt quickly to different learning environments, collaborate effectively with school staff, maintain classroom routines, and provide students with a safe, respectful, and engaging learning experience, which I believe are essential for a successful substitute teacher.

Grade Level Preferences

References

Resume