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, 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 teacher, Zoo camp lead counselor, Teacher aide, Regular substitute, Long-term substitute, Classroom teacher, Science Club founder/leader, Summer school 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). Qualified for MENSA membership. 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. Most recently, I have attended DACA training in New York State, learning about protecting student and teacher rights both in and out of the classroom. Since moving to NY in 2017 I have also passed the ATAS exam, scoring 295 out of possible 300. I also gained valuable knowledge and new skills while working at the local zoo summer camp in 2019.

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. Now that I am married with a daughter of my own, 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!