Teacher for Sale!

TEACHER FOR SALE!

Fully certified and highly qualified 7-12th grade English/Language Arts teacher available for the 09/10 school year.

Original sheen and idealism intact.

Condition: Pre-owned.
Fuel Type: Marzano
Location: Tucson, AZ.
(Delivery to Phoenix or surrounding areas is negotiable)

They say word of mouth is the best way to find a job that is the perfect fit. I’ve never been a master of self-promotion, but I have managed to sell a thing or two on Craigslist, so I thought I’d post myself.

So here’s a little bit about some of my special features.

I have an excellent education, steeped in critical thinking and original source readings.

My degree is from Shimer College, a small independent four-year liberal arts college. Shimer’s academic programs feature an interdisciplinary core curriculum originally designed by Robert M. Hutchins of the University of Chicago and grounded in the Great Books tradition. Emphasis is on developing critical thinking skills and interpersonal communication through an intense study of classical literature and philosophy. Classes are tiny (about 12) and use the Socratic seminar method almost exclusively.

I am resourceful.

When faced with a lack of necessary supplies, I put my classroom up on Adopt-A-Classroom to raise money for materials. I am an English teacher but arranged for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to come to my team’s science classes to do a presentation (on scholarship). I’ve brought in guest speakers (including Miguel Ortega, Chief of Staff for Council Member Karin Uhlich, who was recognized as a winner for the Tucson Business Edge’s 40 Under 40 Award). I have brought in improv comedy troupes as well, to help teach elements of literature through interactive performances in my classroom. My advisory class was the recipient of a $1000 grant from Voices for Education, and we are working on a school-wide field day on addressing anger management. I have worked hard to make sure my students have some of the same opportunities and experiences as students in wealthier districts. I will work with the same fervor to address any deficiencies in any school (instead of just whining about it.)

I am professional.

I see teaching as a profession, not just a job, and conduct myself accordingly. I am a member of three professional organizations (the National Middle School Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) so I can stay up-to-date on the latest research in education.

I know my content area.

It is a truism in education that teachers teach students, not content. I do feel, however, that I am charged with teaching CONTENT to students–and that being well-versed in said content is essential. I have a great grasp of my subject area, having been working with independent print media since I started self-publishing at the age of twelve. I have taught packed-room workshops on media bias, propaganda and media literacy and completed research for Corporate Watch UK. This helps me tremendously in teaching persuasive text. I am also quite cognizant of the revision and editing process through my own experience as a writer. My articles and interview have appeared in a very wide variety of publications, most recently including the Tucson Weekly, Sacred Fire magazine, the Performance Menu Journal of Health and Athletic Excellence and the Crossfit Journal. I have proofread both books and magazines and spent two years serving as a National Teen Correspondent for the now-defunct Blue Jean Magazine.

I am community-minded.

After a student tagged my car with a swastika in the spring of my first year of teaching, I contacted the Jewish Community Relations Council to report the incident. The student left the state but was arrested in an unrelated trespassing incident during a summer visit, and we held an accountability conference at the Pima County Juvenile Court. I arranged to have the student’s community service transferred from the court to the JCRC, where he met with a local educator and Holocaust survivor and they engaged in dialogue about his behavior. It was a transformative meeting which was actually covered in the Arizona Jewish Post. I also changed my lesson plans after the incident and my students read the Devil’s Arithmetic. We invited a Holocaust survivor, Wanda Wolosky, to speak to the students and answer questions. I feel that I used a profoundly negative experience to affect positive change in the climate and culture of the school.

In addition to teaching, I have been heavily involved in volunteer work with my community. My last job before teaching was at a public access TV station (Access Tucson) which facilitates public dialogue and participatory democracy through citizen access to television and other public media. I ran their United Way employee fundraising campaign one year. I have also served as a volunteer in various organizations, including Primavera Foundation and Those Who Care.

I am a life-long student.

I have attended literally hundreds of hours of continuing education workshops and courses to improve my teaching. This includes LifeSkills Teacher Training (from Voices for Education), the Marzano Instructional Strategies Infusion Project, Tools for Teachers, Developing Academic English and Academic Competence Across the Curriculum and more. I don’t just take workshops for the sake of them, however. I integrate the material learned into my teaching.

Whether I am implementing effective classroom management strategies, integrating literature circles and peer revision groups or finding ways to increase engagement and participation, I am always learning.

I am effective.

Apollo Middle School, where I teach, has moved from an underperforming to performing staus. I was part of the team that got our students there. Although a lot of this was based on classroom instruction, like many teachers I volunteered to tutor students after school as needed and were hired to tutor students at Saturday School.

Please feel free to contact me about teaching positions in the 2009/2010 school year. I can be reached via e-mail at yael.grauer@gmail.com or by phone at (520) 791-0164. Resumes, transcripts, recommendation letters, AEPA scores, fingerprint clearance card, teaching certification information, proof of SEI endorsement, philosophy of teaching statement, unit plans, lesson plans, rubrics and assessments are available upon request.