Get to know Mrs. H

Hello! My name is Mindy Hillegass. Welcome to my professional portfolio blog! Take your time getting to know me as an educator and feel free to contact me with any questions that you have! Click on the labels to the left if you are looking for something in particular.

I have been working in education for the last eight years and currently teach in a local school district in western Pennsylvania. Two years ago, I  married the love of my life. There is just one problem. Because of my husband's job, I currently live an hour away from my school. If you know anything about the weather in western Pennsylvania, you know the issues that I incur with each commute. Therefore, I am seeking an elementary (K-6) teaching position closer to my home.

My goal as an educator is to provide my students with life skills that will help them succeed inside and outside of school. Everyday I work hard to make sure my students are becoming proficient in the following categories:

• Inquiry based science
• Literacy skills, including speaking, listening, and communicating
• Proficiency in technology

I am anxious to tell you more about my qualifications and why I want to be part of your school district!

Got Experience?

I certainly do! I have been working at a local school district for the last seven years. I have taught at two elementary schools in the district and in three different grades.

 



• Fifth grade teacher, Jackson ES, Central Cambria SD  Sept 09 – Currently
• Third grade teacher, Jackson ES, Central Cambria SD    Sept 08 - June 09
• Fourth grade teacher, Cambria ES, Central Cambria SD  Sept 07 – June 08
• Day to day substitute teacher, Various districts                  Sept 06 – June 07

Official Documents

The following documents are available upon request through email.

• Principal walkthroughs and observations
• References
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Pennsylvania Standard Teacher Application
• Teaching Certificate
• Undergraduate Transcript
• Praxis Scores
• Clearances

Classroom Enviorment

Enjoy the many pictures of my classroom!

 

 

Classroom Library

 
Student work displayed
 


 

Bucket Filler Program

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Homework Board and Schedule

 

Fist to Five Check (Formative Assessment) and Voice - O - Meter to control noise

Materials are organized and students have easy access

Systems for handing in homework

Print rich bulletin board

  
Students are heterogeneously grouped

  

                                               Bulletin Boards are interactive

Behavior Managment

• Homework Club to encourage completion
• Behaviors modeled, taught, and retaught as needed
• Positive worded classroom rules decided together
• Incorporated school - wide behavior plans 
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Reading

• Use Scott Foresman Reading Street as a core program
• Co - teach in a full inclusion departmentalized reading classroom
• Implement interactive reading notebook
• Word work is incorporated daily. This includes word attack strategies, root word program, and interactive vocabulary study
• Fluency modeled and practiced with reader’s theatre, centers, and poetry
• Speaking and Listening used in Turn and Talks, book talks, and debates
• Various reading skills and strategies modeled, practiced, and assessed throughout the year
• Students participate in Book Clubs and Literature Circles
• Incorporate close readings, a recommended Common Core strategy
• Utilize flexible guided reading groups through Response to Intervention

Science

 

Science is a true passion of mine and I love teaching it to my students! I have taught departmentalized science the last two school years. My lessons are "minds on - hand on" and I utilize inquiry - based science kits to meet the standards.

 

• Use i3 Asset grant training in my lesson plans
• Integrate STEM concepts in my lesson plans
• Completed Floating & Sinking, Electricity, and Levers & Pulleys modules
• Utilize a science notebook for writing and literacy
• Research of Next Generation Science Standards

 

Writing

Writing is an essential skill for all students. My students write daily across many subjects. I have prepared students for the writing PSSAs for the past five years.  They write in all genres including poetry, narratives, persuasion, research, and informative. Through the use of writer's workshop, my students are able to thrive and grow as authors.

• Common Core Aligned Units
• Taught PSSA Modes of Writing
• Use writer’s workshop approach
• Administered Writing PSSAs
• Six Traits integration
• Students complete writing portfolio
• Conference with individuals and small groups
• Integrate writing in science through notebooks
• Students peer conference with rubrics

Writing, Science, Speaking, Listening, Research, Art.......

Those are just a few of the standards I have met with a single unit in my classroom. School days are busy so in order to meet the academic standards, I often use cross-curriculum units. The following pictures show students completing activities from a social studies unit on Native Americans. My students have also completed a cross - curricular research project on natural disasters.

After reading examples of Pourqui tales, students created their own tale.

Art was integrated into this lesson on totem poles.

Differentiated Instruction

Students have many needs and in order to meet those needs I differentiate my instruction. These are some examples of how I meet the needs of all my students.

• Student Choice
• Tic Tac Toe Boards
• Challenge words in spelling
• Vary instructional routines (visual, auditory, etc...)
• Group, partner, and independent work
• RTI: Students are in flexible groups to meet their needs

This learning center is differentiated. The green card is a higher level and the pink card is a lower level.

Helping All Kids through co - teaching and collaboration

I have worked with all types of students in my career. For the last six years I have taught full inclusion reading classes. During these classes, I have co - taught with either the learning support teacher or the enrichment teacher. By collaborating together, we have been able to provide the support students need to succeed socially, emotionally, and academically.

Special Education Experience

• Six years experience of full inclusion reading
• Use the Child Study Team Model to identify students before special education is needed
• Co – teaching with learning support teacher and enrichment teacher
• Adapt homework, activities, and tests for students with a variety of disabilities
• Challenge advanced learners
• Collaborate with learning support teacher during weekly meetings
• Give input on IEPs
• Attend and participate in IEP meetings

Co - Teaching Experience

• Have co – taught for the last five years
• Participated in several of the co – teaching methods, such as lead/support, parallel, and station
• Several co – teaching trainings
• Weekly meetings with co - teacher

 

 Collaboration

• Member of the scheduling, RTI, data team and anti – bullying committees
• Attend RTI meetings held monthly to discuss groups and other needs
• Led weekly grade level meetings
• Participated in Professional Learning Communities on a monthly basis

Testing, Testing

Testing drives many of the choices that I make as an educator. I am able to use this data to reteach when needed, create flexible groups, and make lesson plans. I use all types of assessments, but I find formative assessments to be especially useful in my day - to - day teaching.

• Administrated STAR test to assess reading skills
• Administrated Accelerated Reading for reading comprehension
• Administrated curriculum based assessments
• Used AIMSWeb and Fountas and Pinnell for running records
• Administrated online/paper 4Sight Tests
• Administrated PSSA’s in reading, math, science, and writing
• Used Emetrics and PVAAS to analyze data
• Used curriculum created formal assessments
• Formative Assessments: Questioning, observations, and whole class response activities

 

Students participate in an informative assessment on negatives and contractions

Technology

Your school will benefit from my experience with technology. I feel comfortable integrating all types of technology into my lesson plans and helping my colleagues to become more knowledgeable with the equipment. Using technology creates interactive lessons and hooks the learner into the lesson. I believe you will be impressed with my tech credentials!

• Incorporate Dell Netbooks into lesson plans
• Use various websites for student practice
• Completed training with all response clickers
• Incorporate Mimoboard technology into lesson plans
• Completed Smartboard I and Smartboard II trainings
• Purchased Document Camera through Donors Choose Website
• Integrate Kindles in the classroom
• Integrate typing website (http://www.typingweb.com/) to meet keyboarding standards in the Common Core

 

 

PDE SAS

I am very familiar with Pennsylvania's Standards Aligned System Website. Read below to find out my qualifications with this website.

• Trained fellow teachers on SAS website
• Use website to customize lesson plans and differentiate instruction
• Completed E- Portfolio
• Completed website on SAS using website builder
• Use website for aligning curriculum to Common Core

(http://www.pdesas.org/)