Katie Chevalier http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com Through my passion and commitment in working for a more equitable world, as well as my belief that self-empowerment and education are two necessary tools in achieving that, I bring energy and momentum to everything that I do. posterous.com Fri, 25 May 2012 21:11:00 -0700 Education & Training: http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/dddddd http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/dddddd

Seattle Central Community College (Seattle, WA) Fall 2008 – Winter 2010, Fall 2011

TESOL Certification – 100+ Hour Certificate

Post Baccalaureate Courses: General Inorganic Chemistry Series, Anatomy & Physiology Series, Spanish

 

Portland Community College (Portland, OR) Spring 2010

Coursework in Horticultural Therapy


Girls Circle Facilitator Training (Seattle, WA) November 2008

Improving Health & Safety Needs of Girls & Young Women in King County (Seattle, WA) June 2008

Puget Sound School Garden Summit: Making School Gardens a Priority (Seattle, WA) March 2008


 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI) 1998 – 2003 

 B.A. School of Business Administration – Marketing

Course: Art and Visual Learning in Elementary Education, Fall 2000

 

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Fri, 25 May 2012 21:11:00 -0700 My CV (...aka my Teaching Experiences): http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/fffff http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/fffff

FOOD $ENSE EDUCATOR 

WSU King County Extension, Food $ense Program (King County, WA) 2010­ – 2011 School Year

·   Taught in 14 different King County Elementary Public School classrooms throughout the 2010 –2011 School Year while I worked to improve the nutrition of limited income children and their families via cooking, nutrition, and hands-on activities.

·   Continually communicated with teachers, school faculty, and WSU program managers to develop the most relevant curriculum possible.

·   Adhered to all federal grant guidelines and maintained appropriate documentation and tracking required for program funding security.

 

Volunteer Classroom Assistant 

Operation Frontline (Seattle, WA) March 2009 – March 2010

·   I was a classroom assistant with multiple 6-week classes, including their Side by Side class where parents and kids cook together, as well as a parenting and pregnant teen series, where the goal was to teach healthy nutrition at an affordable budget. 

·   Some of my duties included: cooking, assisting parents and children with activities, prepping produce take-away bags, and clean-up.

  

AMERICORPS GARDEN COORDINATOR ∙ ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Seattle Youth Garden Works (Seattle, WA) August 2007 - April 2009

·   Planned, coordinated, and implemented our daily program schedule of 10 youth.

·   Developed curriculum and created a SYGW educational resource library.

·   Led and organized groups of 20 volunteers and service-learners.

·   Oversaw the weekly youth market program at the University District Farmer’s Market.

 

Volunteer Garden & Compost Mentor for WILD Youth Program

IDHA- International District Housing Alliance (Seattle, WA) April 2007 - June 2007

·   I was brought in as a gardening and compost mentor for the summer. 

·   I collaborated with a group of 15 youth to prepare garden beds in their first ever community garden plot.

·   Some of my roles were: guiding them to select appropriate plantings for the region, instructed them on maintenance and best watering practices, and educated them on soil life and composting.

 

Volunteer Teacher’s Aide

T.T. Minor Elementary School (Seattle, WA) October 2004 – April 2006

·   I assisted weekly in a third grade classroom. 

·   Typically I worked in small groups helping the students with their reading and mathematics packets, daily assignments, and one-on-one reading development. 

·   I also served as a mentor for each child in the classroom.

 

THERAPIST

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapy (Seattle, WA) July 2004 – July 2005

·   Performed one-on-one behavioral analyses using child-specific designed programs and controlled charting.

·   Attended weekly meetings to contribute data for assessing progress and needs of child.

·   Actively reworked the programs to suite the child’s potential growth needs.

 

ESL LEAD TEACHER AND COUNSELOR

Sogang Language Program: Summer Vacation Intensive Program (South Korea) June 2003 – August 2003

·   Mentored, instructed, and maintained responsibility of youth students throughout their daily activities.

·   Enhanced general classroom lesson plans to suit the students’ existing knowledge of topics.

·   Coordinated student group activities including morning warm-ups, drama practice, and carnival night.

·  Invited back as a Camp Supervisor for the SLP Winter Intensive Program 2003.

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Fri, 25 May 2012 21:10:00 -0700 Who is Katie & How Did She Find Teaching? http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/ffffffff http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/ffffffff

About Me:

My great influences - forests (my backyard growing up), large bodies of H2O (Lake Michigan as a kid), Midwest thunderstorms, National Geographic Magazines (I started 'reading' them literally in the closet around the ripe old age of 3), being the baby of a family of 4 girls, losing a great first love at the age of 19, private Catholic school, story collectors, color, dancers, all my amazing math teachers throughout the years

Favorites - colors of the ocean (any shade of blue & green & in between), alleyways, kids & elderly, the smell of lilac trees

My Love Affair with Teaching:

I guess I can honestly say I never intended to be an educator and I've never truly been 'trained' in education. I remember one summer picking up Savage Inequalities from a box of books my sister had left behind. Upon reading it, I new a passion for educating was buried in my greater depths, it was in my heart and soul, but there was so much fear wrapped up with it. For 10+ years I carried such fear. Even now, a woman in my early 30's, I struggle with such. I'm guessing that is a part of being an educator. The fear of never knowing if your best if good enough. Never knowing if you can be everything that a child needs. I've also learned that if you've got such a fire inside of you, you can try and put it out, but chances are it will continue to haunt you until you find the courage to take that risk and jump into it, into the fire that is know as teaching.

So after my summer of reading, I decided to take a few courses in education. I always walked away sorely disappointed. I remember being assigned a project that one would have an elementary child do. That was my breaking point. I didn't want to spend my time on such things; I wanted to learn about different educational systems & structures. Why the American school systems were failing so many students, yet other nations were thriving? What did such successful systems look like? I started reading more. Then graduation came.

Upon graduation, I received a phone call from an acquaintance  from college who wanted me to consider teaching at a summer camp in South Korea. She thought I would make a perfect fit, and although I hadn't been trained in such, she thought I should give it a try. And so I did. I guess you could say that's what set my explorations with teaching into motion! I had an amazing summer filled with adorable & eager children, amazing food, and a whole lot of life lessons. I must have done something right because I was invited back to be their Camp Supervisor for the winter program. I had a whole bunch of excuses (FEAR) so I turned the offer down.

Welcome to my Seattle years (and they aren't over yet). I had lined up a job doing therapy with a high functioning autistic boy a few times a week. After about a year of that, the commute (sometimes a 3+ hr drive to get 15 miles home) was getting to me and I was fearing I was straying too far from my goals. I spent the next two years volunteering in an elementary classroom. I had 'shopped around' for that perfect fit, and as soon as I got into the halls of T.T. Minor Elementary I new it was the school for me. It didn't take long to fall in love with this school and everyone that filled it. I admired the principal & valued all I observed of the teachers' I helped. It was at this point that I started researching a Masters in Education again. But something inside of me held back. It was also during this time that wanted to explore work with a little bit older children. I got a job through Americorps with a local non-profit, Seattle Youth Garden Works, doing garden education and job training with homeless and street youth. I loved everything about this job, unfortunately they never had adequite funding to hire on a regular staff person. It was after this that I continued to do more work in the community, volunteering my time at the local children's clinic and working for another organization in the city doing cooking & nutrition classes to low income members. Most recently, I taught nutrition education (public health style- big & broad) in an Elementary School. This meant I got to travel around to over a dozen classrooms throughout the year, with bags of educational supplies, food, and all the cooking gear one could imagine! It was fantastic. I loved every minute in the classroom with the kiddo's, but was just too darn frustrated and physically worn out from working multiple jobs (I wasn't able to get benefits or full time due to budget cutbacks).

This past year I decided to step back from it for a little while. I pulled the plug on teaching as well as all the volunteer work I was doing in the community. It was time to refuel and re-evaluate where I saw myself long-term. It was time to figure out how I could support myself while doing such work and still maintain a quality of life I deserved. Then in the fall of 2011 I decided I would really enjoy getting certified in TESOL, so I enrolled at my local college for the main course and the grammar course. I am officialy certified to teach english to speakers of other languages! Exciting times on my horizon!

I strongly believe this is the perfect next step for me. My goals, well those are a work in progress. If I stay in the states, there are a couple of routes I would be pleased with. I'd love to get more involved with refugees & immigrants with a focus on women & children. Or perhaps continue my work with children in the classroom. If I find myself abroad, I would enjoy starting in the classroom teaching ESOL to children. Then possibly move into ESOL work with asylum seekers.

Education is fluid, and I strongly believe everyone benefits from such. I do know I'm ready to get my hands dirty!

 

Other Interests:

Of course! Besides my love of teaching (and all topics that fit into that category) I manage to fill my life with so many wonderful additions.

Ranked right up with little kiddo's, I have an utmost appreciate for nature! It's not uncommon that I arrive home from a hike with a baggie of lichen, moss, and other forest loot, later to be displayed some place in my apartment or to be used on the stove for my attempts at dying fabrics! I never tire of the wonders that plants provide-they are my mental savior (when I'm sad or confused this is the first thing I reach out to), my entertainment, my wanna-be scientist laboratory specimens, and my life source (food)! Growing up on Lake Michigan, I always reflect back on how lucky I am to have had that as my childhood. My days (and evenings) were filled with forest and shoreline adventures with my sisters. I am most at peace in such settings, and can't stray too far from water without needing to head back home.

Then there are the man-made structures I adore. I am enraptured by old buildings. When not lost in a garden or forest or on the water, chances are you just might find me in a random alley gazing at some historic structure, scheming its preservation & restoration! I dabble with stained glass & woodworking, and have dreams of helping to restore historic buildings.

Family! They are my everything. I have 3 amazing sisters I am fortunate to call my best friends, and several beautiful nieces and nephews whom I don't see nearly enough. On top of that there is also the family I meet throughout life. Without such relationships and encounters I wouldn't be the person I am today, and for that I am grateful.

And my overflow laundry list: travel, culture, architecture, cooking, kayaking, camping, biking, yoga, textile art, attending lectures & dance performances, garden therapy...

Curious about something? Don't hesitate to ask.

Warmly,

Katie

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Fri, 25 May 2012 21:09:00 -0700 Memories & Photos Throughout My Years with the Kiddo's & Youth: http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/dkjglsgjs http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/dkjglsgjs

Mount View Elementary, 2010-2011 School Year

'Eat Right with Color' Poster Contest for Nutrition Month:

Despite the busy year for the teachers, I was able to get multiple classrooms to participate in the poster contest this year. Once completed, the posters were displayed in a prominent spot in the school cafeteria. They remained up for a month leading up to the schoolwide Health Fair, in hopes to raise awareness around eating a balanced plate. Students were given the opportunity to vote for their favorite poster. The winners received special prizes!

The exciting part for me? Every time I entered the cafeteria there were quiet whispers and then inevitably a little person tugging on my apron, all smiles, wanting to show me their poster, and their tray filled with white milk NOT chocolate, and all the fruits they have compared to the little person next to them!

Love from some students:

I came into school one day to a bundle of 'nutrient dense' love letters waiting for me! I guess to some little ones I really am a star!

 

Student Drawings:


Seattle Youth Garden Works, 2007-2009

Me in Action:

Even with me, probably one of the most relaxed gardener out there, formal instruction is sometimes necessary. If we are not at a table or in a classroom, I much prefer side-by-side learning.

Hands on in the Garden!

Yes, I helped write the curriculum, and yes, there were lessons to be taught, but my favorite part was always jumping in the garden with the youth to see their many expressions & personal breakthroughs! I truly feel (I can help) anyone become a believer of the land, and themselves! Gardens' provide a  healing environment & a place to discover self. I can honestly say I witnessed it happen with every person (including myself) in the photos at some point throughout the season. Judging from the expressions in these photos, they must have been taken towards the end of the program! Usually at the beginning of a program you would not find a youth smiling while holding a pitchfork! Clearly I have brainwashed them all :)

Table Work:

They wouldn't agree, but you have to have table work.

Cooking!

At the end of every 12 week program we would do our best to plan a feast with the youth. The ceremony was very important to all of us. The prepping and the cooking was of course so much fun for all of us, but the most meaningful part for me was the actually sitting down together to eat. For many youth this wasn't a regular part of their home life.

Give a youth a camera and guess what you end up with?

One of our youth, before he became a Garden Lead with SYGW!

MVI_3927.AVI Watch on Posterous

International District Housing Alliance Youth WILD Program, Summer 2007

Garden Mentoring:

This was one of the first days in the garden. Leading up to this , there were multiple meetings pertaining to what would go into their first ever garden, where things should be planted, and who was going to be responsible for watering.

 

T.T. Minor Elementary, 2004-2006

Fun with Science - Magnifying Glasses & Minerals:

This was an incredibly exciting day for me. Normally I always assisted during the kids math and reading periods, but due to a glitch in my schedule I was able to help out in science class! You think her smile is bright? You should have seen mine! Kids & minerals & magnifying glasses & science journals = a very happy Katie. Have I meantioned that I think science rocks :)

Math & Cubes:

This day will go down as one of my favorites with the kiddo's. They were working on math manipulatives using interlocking cubes, and were to create their own dream neighborhood. Let me just tell you, just about everyone's had either an ice cream shop or a candy store, but they also learned some math that day!

 

ABA Therapy, 2004-2005

I worked with this wonderful little high functioning autistic kiddo 3-4 days a week doing therapy by means of controlled charting. He loved Veggie Tales, adventures at the park, and was known to outsmart me from time to time when being tested.


Sogang Language Program Summer Camp, Kimcheon South Korea, 2003


 

 

 

 

 

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Fri, 25 May 2012 21:08:00 -0700 Testimonials & Recommendations: http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/sdkjdal http://katie-chevalier.posterous.com/sdkjdal

Some Student Testimonials:

Professional Recommendations:

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