Teaching Portfolio Introduction

Welcome to my Educational Portfolio

Why you should hire ME.

I am familiar with resources,

including technology.

I have taught using:

• Battle Creek Science
• Michigan Collaborative Curriculum
• Social Studies Alive
• Math Expressions
• MAISA writing Units
• Lucy Calkins' writing and reading workshop
• Smartboards, interactive powerpoints, and multimedia.
• Capturing Kids' Hearts

I am a team player

When I student taught, I taught on a special education teaching team.

I collaborated with colleagues. I asked advice on units I was teaching as well as shared how I planned to teach various lessons. I participated in PLC meetings in which our team discussed key issues and brainstormed to solve solutions.

I have a passion for teaching.

Teaching is a calling. It's a blessing to be a teacher

and have the ability to impact students' lives (and have

them impact me!). I love learning about new curriculum and trying out new concepts when teaching! Click through to see some examples from student teaching.

Teaching a lesson on nonfiction text structures in reader's workshop, using Scholastic's Teaching Text Structures, by Sue Dymock and Tom Nicholson. We used a mentor text to discuss how we could organize our thoughts.

As Active Engagement for the same lesson in reader's workshop, we created a sequence of ingredients from the "How to Make Ice Cream" article.

I build my classroom

into a COMMUNITY of LEARNERS.

A classroom is a unique community. I focus on building our classroom community through group activities. For example, during student teaching, my 5th graders participated in a social studies unit in which students worked in groups to research a colony. Students worked on determining important facts as well as problem-solving and social skills. They presented their posters to the class and we celebrated our learning!

After students finished presenting, we hung the posters in the hall to celebrate their learning.

Students practiced their presentations. They worked in groups throughout the project, focusing on collaborating, social skills, and determining relevant facts.

From Social Studies Alive, students used researched on of the 13 colonies and presented facts to the class. It was an interactive, hands-on activity and one of the students' favorite for the unit.

Explore my portfolio further! Click the tabs on the left to view my philosophy, lessons I have taught, and classroom management strategies.

Thank you for taking the time!

Credentials

Elementary Education MI (BA) K-5

Social Studies Education (BA) K-8, self-contained

PESG Substitute Teacher

National Council for Social Studies Member (NCSS)

Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society Member

Experience

Recommendations/evaluations from students, cooperating teacher, and field coordinator

I have worked with both lower and upper elementary:

-Assisted young students in finding books on the Zee bus

-Volunteered in a second and third grade classroom

-Tutored two first grade students in reading

-Tutored a second grade student in mathematics

-Assisted in a second grade classroom with 30 students

-Student taught in a fifth grade classroom with 50 students (team taught)

I believe it is a teacher's responsibility to foster students' natural curiosity and drive for learning. It is my goal to teach social skills and promote hands-on, student-centered learning!

Kristin VanHemert

Elementary education

Social Studies

Who am I?

My name is Kristin VanHemert. I am a graduate from Grand Valley State University Honors College. Throughout my career at Grand Valley, I have learned about management and curriculum through unique experiences! I have had the blessing of working with Grand Rapids Public, Zeeland Public, Hudsonville Public, and Grand Haven Public schools for teaching experiences.