Shawn Lees-Carr
Experienced, multi-certified MD teacher
Who I Am
I am a learning specialist, a tenured teacher with more than 20 years of experience in several specialty areas. Currently, I am an elementary school media specialist in Frederick, MD. Before earning my second master's degree in school library science, I worked with diverse students and staff as a secondary reading specialist and English teacher. I also have taught education courses at the university level.
Three for the Price of One
ENGLISH/ELA CLASSROOM TEACHER
- Highly qualified 5-12 English/Language Arts teacher
- Employed diverse multi-literacy learning tools to facilitate student mastery of curriculum
- Differentiated and personalized instruction through the use of centers, digital learning platforms, multisensory learning tools, learning contracts and choice boards
- Utilized a variety of formative and summative assessment data to measure academic growth and provide targeted feedback for student and county-driven goals
MEDIA SPECIALIST
- Certified as a school media specialist
- Transformed dated media center space and collection to support 21st Century learning objectives
- Incorporated flexible seating, maker spaces, STEAM/coding clubs and robotics
- Increased meaningful and effective technology use among staff and students by implementing multifaceted plan
- Enhanced media center's image as the learning hub or center of school
- Curated and provided professional learning opportunities, coaching and MSDE courses
READING SPECIALIST
- Certified as a reading specialist
- Experienced working with secondary students and a variety of literacy programs in diverse schools
- Assessed and diagnosed student literacy needs
- Developed, implemented and monitored intervention plans
- Taught READ 180, System 44, hybrid, Bridge and HSA intervention courses
- Provided extensive interdisciplinary staff development, mentoring and coaching
- Created community outreach and personalized literacy programs
How I Spell "Success" with Three Cs
CONNECT
The most important goal of any teacher or specialist is to make connections. Building relationships with students, staff and the school community requires careful listening and willingness to learn from others. Connections can also happen across ages and distances as we open doors to other cultures by using technology to bridge distances.
EXAMPLES:
- Staff personalized learning structures
- Student-generated and led teams, clubs and groups
- Problem-based inquiry learning missions
- Self-selected student and staff inquiry units
- Skype/digital conferencing tools for students and staff
- Special community and PTA events
COLLABORATE
Although there are many initiatives I can develop and maintain independently, the best evidence of an effective program is found through collaboration. Research proves that student achievement increases when educators work closely with other teachers and students to enrich and support the instructional goals of the curriculum.
EXAMPLES:
- Developed and co-taught cross-disciplinary intervention courses
- Initiated school-wide professional development plans aimed at increasing literacy skills
- Designed and led multiple PLCs and MSDE courses
- Google Classroom/GAFE/ Collaborative tools learning sessions
- Math, science and research enrichment extensions
- Poetry, CCSS and content literacy presentations
CHALLENGE
Powerful changes can come when we are challenged, whether we are facing personal, professional or academic obstacles. Setting high expectations and carefully orchestrating differentiated learning environments can help us scaffold student growth. While strengthening essential academic skills is critical, other valuable traits contribute to our students' success. Building resiliency, perseverance and problem-solving skills greatly enhance our students' ability to face future struggles.
EXAMPLES:
- Passion Projects/Genius Hour
- Energy Resources Personalized/Blended Learning Unit
- PBL Unit: If You Had a Magic Pencil, What Would You Change? Social issues connected to Malala's Magic Pencil read-aloud
- Build Your Brain Week: student challenge centers and experiments
- Breakout EDU: How Powerful is Your Poetry Knowledge?
Technology to Engage Staff and Students
Some of my favorite technology tools:
- Schoology
- Peardeck/Google Add-On
- Flipgrid
- Padlet
- Quizizz/Kahoots
- Google Meet
- Google Jamboard
- Goggle slides, forms, docs and spreadsheet
- Google Sites, Weebly, Smore and Symbaloo
Currently Reading:
Disrupted Thinking: Why How We Read Matters
Reading Reconsidered: A Practical Guide to Rigorous Literacy Instruction
The Gifts of Imperfection
All American Boys
Extras
- Advisor of many clubs, including National Honor Society, FIRST LEGO League Robotics, coding, school newspaper/webpage, chess, foreign language, poetry, etc.
- Member of many school improvement initiatives, including team leader, literacy committee, new teacher mentor, curriculum writing, feeder system improvement, etc.