JESSICA M. COVACI
Chicago
Summary
Versatile and dedicated Special Education Teacher with focus on individual needs of special education students. Empathetic and accommodating in design and implementation of hands-on lessons. Exceptional skills working with teachers, parents and specialists to meet educational needs of students.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Special Education Teacher(Primary Grades-Resource)
Chicago Public Schools, McCutcheon Elementary
07.2019 - Current
- Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals.
- Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
- Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of neurodiverse students.
- Taught multiple subjects to students with intellectual or emotional disabilities.
- Taught students across multiple classifications and degrees of special needs.
- Assisted struggling students to maintain progress levels by designing individualized lesson plans focused on areas for improvement.
- Cultivated connections and strong student rapport to foster classroom engagement, in addition to recording student progress to inform parents and school administration.
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS).
- Encouraged students to take ownership of learning by providing choices.
- Collaborated with other educators to develop instructional strategies.
- Facilitated small group instruction to address individual learning needs.
- Developed and implemented behavior management plans to improve student behavior.
Student Teaching: (Grades 2-5th- Resource Room)
Vernon L. Barkstall Elementary
01.2019 - 05.2019
- Provided instruction to 15 students in grade 2-5 with learning, intellectual, and emotional disabilities in subject areas such as math application and computation
- Used a scripted curriculum to provide direct instruction to students
- Made appropriate modifications for students with IEP's
- Created appropriate assessments to assess student progress
- Administered appropriate weekly assessments using AIMSweb
- Joined the school committee related to social emotional learning
- Became involved with the school Trauma team and attended monthly meetings
- Created and taught lessons reflecting on best practices in compliance with the Illinois State Standards
- Reflected on teaching and made appropriate modifications to further student understanding through weekly meetings with my clinical supervisor and cooperating teacher.
Early Field Practicum Experience: (Grades 4-5th - Self-Contained)
Robeson Elementary School
09.2018 - 12.2018
- Provided instruction to 5 students in grades 4-5 with intellectual and emotional disabilities in subject areas of an alternative curriculum that included functional math, reading, and daily living skills
- Used methods of direct instruction and strategies such as discrete trial training and constant-time delay teaching sight words
- Conducted preference assessments with students to target highly preferred reinforcements to use with each student
- Collaborated with paraprofessionals in the classroom during lessons and meetings
- Conducted interviews with parents/guardians and related services of students to assess the goals and academic needs of the student
- Created appropriate assessments to assess student progress
- Created low-tech aided communication devices for students with complex communication needs in the classroom
- Facilitated the use of augmentative and alternative communication devices such as iPads, communication books/symbols for students with complex communication needs
- Created and taught lessons reflecting on best practices in compliance with the Illinois State Standards.
Early Field Practicum Experience: (Grades 9-12th - Resource Room/Co-taught)
St. Joseph-Ogden High School
01.2017 - 05.2017
- Provided one on one instruction to two students with learning disabilities in grade 9 for intensive reading intervention
- Used methods of direct instruction and strategies such as repeated reading, choral reading, and graphic organizations to assist with reading fluency, decoding and comprehension
- Made appropriate modifications in assignments and course work for students with IEP's who attended general education classes
- Assisted with daily classroom procedures such as attendance, updating grades on school portal and Power IEP
- Conducted several informal and formal assessments to assess student skills in various subjects such as writing, reading comprehension, fluency, math computation, and math application
- Created appropriate assessments to assess student progress
- Administered appropriate weekly progress monitoring assessments using AIMSweb
- Collaborated with the general education English III teacher in the co-taught setting
- Taught a pair of lessons to the general education classroom and exercised communication with the general education teacher
- Created and taught lessons reflecting on best practices in compliance with the Illinois State Standards.
Early Field Practicum Experience: (Grades 3-5th - Resource Room)
Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. Elementary School
09.2016 - 12.2016
- Provided instruction to 8-12 students with learning, behavioral, and emotional disabilities in the subject areas of reading comprehension, fluency, decoding, math application, and math computation
- Administered appropriate weekly progress monitoring assessments using AIMSweb
- Attended collaboration meetings with general education teachers
- Created and taught lessons reflecting on best practices in compliance with the Illinois State Standards.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Special Education
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL05.2019
Skills
- Paraprofessional Oversight
- Development of Social Skills
- Behavior Intervention Plans
- Individualized Lesson Plans
- Positive Reinforcement Strategies
- Instructional Strategies
- Group and Individual Instruction
- Positive Learning Environment
- Individual Education Plan Expertise
- Learning Style Assessment
- Autism and Spectrum Disorders
- Smart Board Technology
- Behavior Modification
Organizational Involvement
- Epsilon Delta Professional Teaching Organization, 2016-present, Connected with other education majors and encouraged social growth and knowledge about different education concentrations, Attended panel interviews that included first-year teachers, superintendents, principals, veteran teachers, and special education coordinators
- Best Buddies UIUC, 2016-present, Became a peer buddy to an individual with a disability, Created life-long bonds and friendships through various events and activities with my peer buddy
Certifications Licensures
- Learning Behavioral Specialist I - 05/2019
- Illinois Mandated Reporter Certification - 2017-Present
- CPR infant, child, adult - 2015-Present
Honors And Awards
- Dean's List: 3 Semesters
- Awarded the Wheeler Foundation Scholarship (2018-2019)
- Phi Eta Sigma- National Honors Society
Timeline
Special Education Teacher(Primary Grades-Resource)
Chicago Public Schools, McCutcheon Elementary
07.2019 - Current
Student Teaching: (Grades 2-5th- Resource Room)
Vernon L. Barkstall Elementary
01.2019 - 05.2019
Early Field Practicum Experience: (Grades 4-5th - Self-Contained)
Robeson Elementary School
09.2018 - 12.2018
Early Field Practicum Experience: (Grades 9-12th - Resource Room/Co-taught)
St. Joseph-Ogden High School
01.2017 - 05.2017
Early Field Practicum Experience: (Grades 3-5th - Resource Room)
Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. Elementary School
09.2016 - 12.2016
Bachelor of Science - Special Education
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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