Erin Ruegg 215 E McKinley St, #403 [email protected] Phoenix, Arizona, 85004 612-356-4670 _____________________Education Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; Masters of Education, Special Studies. May 2011 Hamline University, St. Paul, MN; Completed M.A.T. course work; K-8, 5-8 Math Specialty. 2002 – 2003 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA; Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, May 1997 Grinnell-in-London Semester abroad program. Studied art history, and racism in Great Britain. _____________________Notable Accomplishments National Board Certified Earned the highest U.S. certification for English as a New Language teachers. November 9th, 2007 Mentor prospective teachers and counselors in Colombia. 2007 - present Fluent Spanish Speaker Lead weekly professional development workshops, observed and modeled lessons; wrote weekly newsletters, conducted parent-teacher conferences; organized and coordinated service learning projects in Spanish. 2005-2010 Presenter at Annual International Educators’ Conferences Tri-Association of American Schools of Central America, Colombia-Caribbean and Mexico, San Jose, Costa Rica, October 2008 Association of American Schools in South America, Bogota, Colombia, March, 2009. Selected twice from over 200 proposals to present to school leaders across Latin America on theory and reflective practices of authentic assessment in elementary classrooms. _____________________Leadership Highlights Senior Literacy Coach for Word Generation Strategic Education Research Project (SERP) at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2011- present Lead a team of five literacy coaches in four school districts across Massachusetts and in Baltimore to direct and support the implementation of Word Generation, a program to develop academic vocabulary and oral and written argumentative reasoning skills in urban schools. The five-year random control study, Catalyzing Comprehension through Discussion and Debate, is funded by a 20 million dollar federal I.E.S. grant. Research is directed at improving literacy development for urban and ELL students in 4-7 grade. Bilingual Elementary School Literacy Coach Literacy Department Co-Chair, Colegio Nueva Granada, Bogota, Colombia, 2008 - 2010 Coordinated literacy learning goals; vertical alignment of standards, assessment, and instruction for a bilingual, k-12 of 1,800 students, 242 teachers. Modeled instructional strategies, co-taught, analyzed and assessed student learning. Facilitated weekly meetings to coordinate and develop literacy instruction with 32 teachers in five professional learning teams in English and Spanish; advised k-12 school administrators on instructional pedagogy and curriculum programming to best meet the needs of a culturally and economically diverse student body. Lead on-going, school-wide professional development of research based instructional models: Lucy Calkins Units of Writing, Fountas and Pinnell Reading Workshop and Daily 5 and CAFÉ. Bilingual Literacy Consultant Colombia, South America, 2006 - 2010 Constructed and lead 1- 4 day workshops for professional peers at private and public schools across Colombia; modeled and coached interactive reading and writing workshops, content specific bilingual teaching methodologies; brain-based instructional methods; language development in math and science, service learning project development and application; and utilizing community resources to facilitate hands-on learning. Literacy Committee Co-Chair Rocky View Elementary, Gallup, New Mexico Directed school-wide literacy project, funded by a $60,000 grant, to build k-6 guided reading and literacy resource room, research best practices, attend national trainings, write curriculum and lead workshops 18 teachers 2000 -2001 _____________________Teaching History Colegio Nueva Granada, Bogota, Colombia Literacy Coach August 2008 - June 2010; 3rd grade Teacher ,August 2007 –June 2008 Colegio Jorge Washington, Cartagena, Colombia Looping 1st – 2nd Grade Teacher August 2005 – June 2007 Colegio Interamericano, Guatemala City, Guatemala 1st and 4th Grade Teacher August 2003-May 2005 Hmong Open Partnership in Education (HOPE) Community Academy St. Paul, Minnesota 3rd Grade Teacher August 2001-August 2002 Rocky View Elementary School, Gallup, New Mexico 2nd & 3rd Multi-age Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher September 1999-May 2001 _____________________Professional Profile Practicing Interdisciplinary, Literacy-based Teaching Methodologies Promoted literacy across the curriculum to be connective, inquiry based, and meaning-making for all students. Integrated reading and writing skills into content instruction. Utilized technology as an interactive, hands-on learning tool for students; i.e. sharing student work samples on a document camera, facilitated student created film documentaries; scaffold Internet research skills, student PowerPoint presentations, video and CD engineering in culminating activities. 2000 - 2010 Teaching in Diverse Environments Taught in five culturally diverse communities of low- to high-income, limited English to non-English multi-ethnic, Hmong, African-American, Navajo, Zuni, and Latino students and families. 1999-2010 Implementing English as a New Language Strategies Developed, adapted and employed strategies to effectively teach ELL students in K-8 classrooms. 2000 - 2010 Adapting for Special Needs Students Modified curriculum and adapted instruction to meet the needs of inclusion classrooms. 1999- 2010 Organizing and Leading in School Communities Elected to school leadership councils 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009 and the Charter school site-based council 2001, 2002. Participated in long-term budget and development planning. Chaired Community Outreach Committee that created annual fundraising program, elicited grant money and grant writers from local organizations; built community partnerships to explore local history and create an historical mural; Initiated and chaired Behavior Policies and Procedures committee to revise policies, school community handbooks and policy implementation. 2003 -2005 Leading Service Learning Projects Coordinated and collaborated with students and community organizations to design interdisciplinary projects such as government lobbying to raise awareness for environmental issues, community trash pick-up and measurement event, raised money to building an art shelf and filling it with games and materials for local orphanage. Attended a six-day Summer Institute in Vermont; conducted community research, and completed on-line courses. Proposed innovative service learning center for Colegio Jorge Washington. 2001 -2010 ____________________ Community Organizing and Volunteering Coordinator Cartagenitos, Cartagena, Colombia August 2006 –Present Connect volunteers with local orphanages; create and sustain literacy education programs for NGOs. Lead Teacher Seward Cooperative Child Care, Minneapolis, Minnesota September 2002- September 2003 Directed an after-school and summer program as a part of a parent co-operative child care. Developed holistic and anti-bias learning and problem solving curriculum for children ages 5-12. Collaborated with children, their families, and the community to plan interactive and hands-on educational projects. Organized fund-raising, art, environmental learning, and neighborhood beautification projects. Teacher and Organizer for Diversity Workshop San Francisco, California March 1998 - June 1999 Organized, planned, and facilitated small group discussions focusing on weekly anti-racism presentations by local grassroots organizers. Supervised and evaluated students’ participation in workshop and cooperating internship program. Organizer for Applied Research Center Oakland, California Fall 1998 - Spring 1999 Organized actions against inhumane prison policies and procedures and police brutality. Researched the Prison Industrial System interviewing inmates from local prisons. Director of Publications Ubediah Performing Arts Group, Oakland, California August 1998 - December 1998. Responsible for publicizing and finding participants for multi-media dramatic performances combining storytelling, live visual artwork, dance, photography, and political education. .