Christen Mae VanNewkirk
[email protected]
Professional Goals
I aspire to grow continuously within my teaching profession. In a society that requires individuals and students to aggressively seek knowledge continuously and become life-long learners, I must too achieve those great academic necessities. A thirst for knowledge is contagious among students, and professionals alike. While obtaining a Masters of Arts in Education (2011) and receiving my National Board Certification (2014) were pivotal experience in my growth, I appreciate that these too are simply stepping stones for further professional development. In August of 2016, I obtained my Academically and Intellectually Gifted Add-on Licensure through Wingate University. As I continue to grow, my drive is to share what I have learned throughout years and support fellow teachers as we work together to instill strong mathematical reasoning skills within our students.
Education
Wingate University, January 2015 - August 2016
Wingate, NC
Academically and Intellectually Gifted Add-on Licensure
Michigan State University, June 2010 – August 2011
East Lansing, MI
Master of Arts in Education
Michigan State University, August 2006 – May 2007
East Lansing, MI
Secondary Teaching Certification
Mathematics (EX) and Biology (DA)
Michigan State University, August 2003 – May 2007
East Lansing, MI
Bachelors of Arts Degree
Mathematics Major and Biology Minor
Lansing Community College, August 2001 – May 2003
Lansing, MI
General Education Courses
Teaching Experience
Cleveland High School, August 2017 - Present
1892 Polenta Road, Clayton, NC 27529
Campbell University, August 2017 - Present
143 Main Street, Buies Creek, NC, 27506
EDUC 206 and EDUC 207 courses were developed to prepare elementary and special education teachers to take the math licensure test through Pearson. Passing rate for the substest increased through these courses.
Cleveland Middle School, August 2014 - June 2017
2323 Cornwallis Road, Garner, NC 27529
8th Grade Mathematics and Math I Teacher
•Mathematics and Math I Teacher to 8th grade students
•Effectively integrated pedagogical, content and technological knowledge to fully prepare 21st century learners for their future
•Maintained Common Core Standards and district pacing guides to structure lessons and curriculum maps
•Differentiated lessons to accommodate and meet the specific needs of each student
•Actively participated and conducted professional development opportunities for fellow teachers throughout the school and district
• Assisted in the development and implementation of the district's Rigorous Curriculum Design
Coats-Erwin Middle School, August 2007 - June 2014
2833 NC Highway 55, Dunn, NC 28334
8th Grade Mathematics and Algebra I Teacher
Yearbook Editor
•Mathematics and Algebra I Teacher to 8th grade students
•Effectively integrated pedagogical, content and technological knowledge to fully prepare 21st century learners for their future
•Maintained North Carolina Standard Course of Study/Common Core Standards and district pacing guides to structure lessons and curriculum maps
•Differentiated lessons to accommodate and meet the specific needs of each student
•Actively participated and conducted professional development opportunities for fellow teachers throughout the school and district
•Co-edited the Coats-Erwin Middle School yearbook since 2007. This privilege required the sales of exploring a creative design each year for the yearbook cover and pages, preparing photographs year-round at various educational and athletic events and selling and designing 8th grade advertisements.
Internship Field Experience
Dwight Rich Middle School, August 2006 – May 2007
2600 Hampden Dr, Lansing, MI 48911
8th Grade Mathematics Teacher and Honors Algebra Teacher
•Included teaching a focus class for the entire year, which permitted me to connect with the students in a way that students were able to gain as much respect for me as I had for them
•Placement included a progression of teaching up to four classes with two different preparations, for a 10-week marking period
•As a professional asset to the educational community at Dwight Rich Middle School, I was actively involved in parent teacher conferences, girls and boys basketball teams, staff meetings and professional development offered to staff
•Planned lessons that maximized student preparation for future mathematics courses by creating differentiated lessons and lessons that require students to apply their understanding of concepts, to develop problem-solving skills
•Planned entire course pacing guide with a committee of eleven teachers and administrators in order for the seventh and eighth grade accelerated students to meet the new state of Michigan high school standards
Pre-Internship Field Experience
Haslett High School, September 2005 – May 2006
5450 Marsh Rd, Haslett, MI 48840
Algebra II Course for freshmen, sophomores and juniors
•Placement included planning and conducting a one-day lesson, two different two-day lessons, and one three-day lesson to become introduced to the planning lessons, anticipation on student responses, and reflecting on those experiences
•Observing four hours a week gave me the opportunity to reflect on the teaching pedagogy of an experienced teacher
•Tutoring a struggling student before school at lease one day a week allowed me to apply different pedagogical strategies to increase student success
Pathway, Spring 2004
1429 West Grand River Ave, Howell, MI 48843
•Assisted certified special education teachers two hours a week in a classroom comprised of two and four year old cognitively impaired children
Professional Leadership
NCCTM State Mathematics Conference, November 2, 2018
Greensboro, NC
Building Math Positive Classroom
Math 1 Writing Proficiency Scales, June - July 2018
Johnston County Public Schools, Smithfield, NC
Mentor Teacher, January 2018 - December 2018
NCState University
Meredith Math and Science Summer Institute, July 24-25, 2017
Meredith University, Raleigh, NC
Catapulting Through Math I
Math Summit 2016, August 11, 2016
SAS World Headquarters and Triangle High Five, Cary, NC
Empowering Students Through Performance Tasks
Project LEAD Leadership Cadre, 2016-2017
Meredith University, Raleigh, NC
Planning, implementing and supporting teachers to facilitate powerful lessons that are rich in engagement and support high levels of understanding and communication among students.
Cooperating Teacher, 2012, 2015, 2016
Campbell University, Lillington, NC
Lesson Planning Seminar, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Campbell University, Lillington, NC
Seminar for student teachers on designing differentiated lesson plans
Route 21 Professional Development, January 7, 2011
Coats-Erwin Middle School, Dunn, NC
Professional development on integrating iMovie in the classroom
Harnett County Schools Technology Conference, November 2010
Harnett County School Professional Development, Dunn, NC
Using iMovie to Teach Geometry and Algebra
Harnett County Schools Technology Conference, January 22, 2010
Harnett County Schools Professional Development, Dunn, NC
Using the SmartBoard in a Mathematics Classroom
Professional Development
NCTM Annual Conference, April 2017, San Antonio, TX
Getting to Know CMP Workshop, June 2016, East Lansing, MI
Project LEAD, June 2018, Smithfield, NC
Project LEAD, June 2015 - June 2017, NC
NCCTM Annual Conference, October 2015, October 2016, Greensboro, NC
SAS Math Conference, August 2015, Cary, NC
Sandhills Regional Conference, Fayetteville, NC
Professional Books Read
Shut Up! A Quick and Dirty Guide to Decreasing Teacher Talk and Increasing Student Talk in the Classroom, by Deb Teitelbaum
What's Math Got to Do with It?, by Jo Boaler
Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, by Peter Brown, Henry Roediger, and Mark McDaniel
Kids Deserve It!, by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome
Hillbilly Elegy, by JD Vance
15 Fixes for Broken Grades, by Ken O'Connor
Making Number Talks Matter, by Cathy Humphreys and Ruth Parker
Mathematical Mindsets, by Jo Boaler
Taking Action: Implementing Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices, by Melissa Boston, Frederick Dillon, Margaret Smith, and Stephen Miller
Professional Recognition
NCCTM Mini Grant, 2018
Bright Ideas Grant, 2016-2017
National Board Certification, June 2014
Target Field Trip Grant, 2013
Coats-Erwin Middle School Teacher of the Year, April 2014
Coats-Erwin Middle School Teacher of the Year, April 2011
Professional Associations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2005 – Present
North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2016 - Present