Schooling Anywhere by Stacy Uptagrafft

I have experience teaching people from birth to adulthood. In the classroom I have experience in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th. From summer school, tutoring, summer learning camps, teaching dance lessons, and teaching my own child, I have truly taught every age through to adults. A list of SOME of the roles I've had in education: Gymnastics camp lead 4K teacher, Zoo camp lead counselor all ages, Teacher aide, Regular substitute, Long-term substitute, Teaching Assistant 7th and 8th grades, Classroom teacher 1st and 3rd grades, Science Club founder/leader, Summer school kindergarten teacher, Ballroom/Latin dance teacher, Adult GED tutor, STEM Academic Committee member, Secretary of my chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Member of Kappa Delta Pi.

I believe the basics are most important because if we know our basics forward, backward, and in our sleep, we can truly build on them to attain any knowledge about any subject. I believe in meeting students where they are, not necessarily where the standards say they should be. Therefore, many of my resources list multiple grades or say "not grade specific"; it totally depends on the student using the material. I include a lot of review of the basics, but I also love integrating multiple academic subjects into the same activities. Integration and real-world application make the most meaningful learning happen (and fast!).

Graduated cum laude from Winthrop University in 2014. Have been a member of Kappa Delta Pi (education honors society). MENSA member. Secretary of my chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma 2015-2017. Achieved highest growth in my district for 3rd grade math for the 2015-2016 school year. Created and led a Junior Science Club while teaching at an elementary school. Created the first class garden at my elementary school, spurring a new gardening program involving 4H and the local community. Active role in attaining STEM accreditation for my elementary school (passed on our first try!).

I graduated from Winthrop University (Rock Hill, SC) with a double major in Early Childhood and Elementary Education in 2014 with GPA of 3.73. During college I always held a job in the service industry as well as camp counseling and tutoring. I graduated college in 4 years with 2 South Carolina teaching certifications, qualifying me to teach age birth through 6th grade. Moving to New York in 2017, I have attended DACA training, learning about protecting student and teacher rights both in and out of the classroom. I have also passed the ATAS exam, scoring 295 out of possible 300. This allowed me to become a certified Teaching Assistant in NY to work with junior high students, where I then attainted my Trauma and Crisis Intervention certification.

I was born in Florida, raised in South Carolina, and moved to New York at 25 years old. I have had a passion for education since I was in elementary school and helped any peers who were struggling. Through my many hobbies, jobs, and training courses, I can truly say I have taught every age group that exists. In high school I began my education career by teaching ballroom and Latin dance to senior citizens, couples getting married, and young children taking group classes. Ever since then, I have been adding everything possible to my repertoire. I am generally fascinated by humans and how we acquire knowledge, and I think this is what has led me to gain experience in teaching so many different topics. As long as I can continue my own learning while teaching and helping others, I am all set for life!