TAURA SIMMONS

936 Mailwood Dr Knightdale NC 27545

Ph 919 274.2384 tsimmons2@wcpss.net Fax 877 212.6261
EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY:
As a mentor over the years, one of my greatest missions has been to empower young people to maximize their thinking
and problem-solving skills, to question the world around them, to desire to know more, to do more, to be more, and to be ready
and willing to share their knowledge and discoveries with others. I can't think of a bigger peeve to me than to hear someone
answer a questions with "I don't know" without first thinking about the answer. It is something I have always concerned about,
especially with children, because it indicates to me a lack of curiosity and drive that all children should have.
I find that as a teacher these are my greatest concerns as well. I believe that, as newborns, we are gifted with a natural
wonder and desire to know about the world around us. And it saddens me to see a child for whom that flame has been
extinguished of for whom it has never been sparked. I find it a great travesty and I strive to regift that light to young people
whenever and wherever I can. I also find that I am coming into the field of education at a marvelous time, when the educational
community at large seems to be embracing a similar attitude. It has always been a frustration to me that one could graduate from
high school and go off into the real world, whether that be college, military, or the work force, equipped with the memorized
knowledge that Christopher Columbus discovered a world that had already been discovered while lacking important thinking
skills that would enable them to make wise decisions in life and to become productive citizens. It is not enough to churn out
students who have memorized a bunch of facts just to pass a standardized test. A diploma should rather certify that that the young
mind has been challenged to the point that it requires from itself a higher level of thinking. It is our responsibility educators to
instill this in our children. Yes, it should start at home and be reinforced in the classroom however, we as educators know that
this is oftentimes not the case. It is, therefore, our responsibility as professionals to be sure that it is started period and
reinforced.
These things in mind, the modern classroom should be about asking questions at every opportunity, and requiring a
thoughtful answer. It should utilize student-based strategies such as CHRISS models, HPL IRIS Modules, and NETS models that
provoke curiosity, encourage discovery, and reward responsibility (civic and personal). The modern teacher should redefine
learning in these terms to the students, allow students to experience the gratification of self-empowerment by discovering the
answers and helping others to learn in the process.

EDUCATION:
1991-1995 UNC-Chapel Hill, B.A. in Psychology, Minor Sociology

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

Skilled and effective in oral and written communication.

Excellent human relations skills.
Outgoing and compassionate personality
Classroom management
Multitasking and problem-solving
Computer literate and technology savvy
Spanish

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY and SKILLS:

2014-present, WCPSS, Raleigh. ESL Teacher K-12, LEP (Limited English Proficiency) Contact
Provide English Language instruction to middle school English Language Learners whose native language is other than
English. Utilize common core skills and ELA strategies and best practices as an overall approach to teaching ELLs
academic English skills, such as listening, reading, writing and speaking while focusing on specific aspects of language
use, such as life skills and literacy. Combine basic studies with real-life interactions involving language use in different
situations. Plan and implement lessons based on curriculum objectives and the needs and abilities of students. Plan and
employ a variety of appropriate instruction/learning strategies and activities and utilize curriculum, projects (such as pen
pals), and field trips to engage students and facilitate leaning. Implement 21st Century Skills into the curriculum.
Maximize student achievement by assessing student abilities as related to desired educational goals, objectives and student
outcomes. Assess student achievement and maintain appropriate assessment and evaluation documentation for institutions
and individual reporting purposes. Actively participate in and work with other school personnel in planning effective
instructional goals, objectives, methods and curriculum. Participate in professional growth and development activities.
Assist in the documentation of student progress by efficiently maintaining and submitting appropriate records and reports.
Ensure that the classroom instructional environment is attractive, healthful, safe and generally conducive to learning.
Establish and maintain effective relationships with students, parents and peers. Maintain communication with teachers,
other school personnel, and parents/guardians to enhance cooperative action to meet the educational needs of students.
Utilize existing technology effectively in the performance of duties.
simmons

2014, Wake County Public Schools, Raleigh. Substitute Teacher

SETT certified. Substitute teacher for middle school and high school levels.

2012-present, Wake County Board of Elections, Raleigh. Laptop Specialist, Help Table Assistant (as needed)
Charged with performing setup and closeout, maintenance and troubleshooting responsibilities on laptops and printers
during Early Voting. Assist ADA individuals with voting process. Assist voters with correcting problems such as name
changes, address corrections and registrations. Promote and foster a sense of teamwork amongst the group by encouraging
unity and camaraderie.

2006-2010, Destiny Homes, Raleigh. Supervisor

Provided professional, confidential service to clients during their stay at facility. Communicated with the parents,
counselors, and therapists regarding the progress of the client within the program. Assisted in creating treatment plans for
adolescents to help them achieve their individual goals. Encouraged success by implementing positive and negative
reinforcement techniques and providing feedback to adolescents to help them to achieve their personal and group goals and
to promote unity and teamwork -- a sense of fraternity -- amongst the adolescents within the program. Created reports to
monitor record and further communicate progress of clients. Performed administrative duties and documentation to
maintain the integrity of confidential company recordkeeping. Trained and supervised staff. Promoted teamwork and
compliance amongst staff.

1995, Duke University Medical Center, Durham. Paraprofessional Counselor

Assisted in research project to validate a program using behavioral methods to promote focus and minimize distractions
amongst children with ADHD and ADD in the educational setting. Trained, modeled, and monitored children in classroom
setting and day camp setting in order to communicate expectations. Implemented positive and negative reinforcement
techniques to encourage children to perform expectations. Performed IEPs. Monitored progress of students and recorded
data to assist in determining the effectiveness of the program.

1994, Family Transitional Center, Chapel Hill. Intern

Assisted in teaching children with various emotional and behavioral disabilities in preschool setting. Provided positive
reinforcement to encourage learning of basic developmental and social skills necessary to transition into regular preschool
or kindergarten settings.

VOLUNTEER WORK:

1992-present, Community Mentor and Volunteer, Chapel Hill, Raleigh.

Information sharing. Mentoring. Tutoring. Training. Life-skills education.

REFERENCES upon request.