Ashley Beckstein

Contact Information: beckstea@mail.gvsu.edu

tel.: 734-478-5842

Objective

· Hardworking, dedicated, honors student through Grand Valley State University seeks a position in student teaching to utilize
my skills and contribute to the success of students and teachers.

Education
BACHELORS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION | DATE EXPECTED MAY 2019 | GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
· Grand Valley State University: 1 Campus Dr. Allendale, MI 49401
· Current overall GPA of 3.538
· Listed on the Dean’s List my freshmen, junior and senior year of college
· Official member of the Council of Exceptional Children

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA | JUNE 2ND 2013 | WHITMORE LAKE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL
· Whitmore Lake High School: 7430 Whitmore Lake Rd. Whitmore Lake MI 48189
· Graduated with an accumulative GPA of 3.6 as well as with honors; Magma Cum Laude
· Was on the honor roll all four years of High School

Experience
TEACHER ASSITANT | 9/2017 – 12/2017
North Park Montessori Academy: 3375 Cheney Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525/tel. 616-819-2848
Duties include:

- Leading mathematics and reading groups in both individual and group type settings
- Creating and then leading whole class lessons that include unique strategies, activities and assessments in a multitude of
different subject areas
- Helping students in their general education classrooms with individual work, activities, and assessments during the
school day
- Teaming up with my cooperating teacher in figuring out the best way to handle daily situations within the classroom
- Each student within this classroom are diagnosed with a disability, eligible for Special Education and have IEP’S that
provide them with yearly goals we have to meet, as teachers.

LEAD PRESCHOOL/DAYCARE TEACHER | 6/2016 – 8/2016 & 5/2017 – 8/2017

Little Friends Preschool: 10195 9 Mile Rd. Whitmore Lake, MI 48189/ tel. 734-449-8756
Duties included:
- Helping take care of up to 28 children at one time throughout 8 hours a day/ 5 days a week (These children ranged from
5 to 12 years old both boys and girls).
Preparing circle time lessons/activities and enriching art projects.
- Preparing meals, supervising children during play inside and out as well as during lunchtime, changing diapers, reading
aloud books.
- Positively dealing with many inappropriate; behavioral and emotional.
 - Teaming up with co-workers to figure out the best way to handle daily situations within the daycare as well as
communicating with parents daily about their children.
- During my first summer here, I was in constant contact and/or supervising a 4 year old boy who was clinically diagnosed
with Autism. Since I was the assistant of the regular daycare teacher, I had to make sure this boy was able to participate
in activities and if not, I had to provide him with other things to do. In charge of changing his diapers, making sure he was
being included and making sure he was where he supposed to be at all times.

NANNY | 9/2016 – 4/2017

The Coolsen Family: 616-965 5186
Duties include:

- Taking care of their two children (7 & 5 year old boys)

- Waking them up for school, preparing breakfast, making sure their teeth are brushed, coats are on and everything is in
their backpacks to have a successful day. Taking them to their bus stop as well as picking them up from their bus stop in
the afternoon
- Dealing with temper tantrums and inappropriate behaviors of all sorts with my own learned techniques as well as the
parents
- Helping both children with their academic work when needed as well
- One of these boys could quite possibly be eligible for Special Education but is not diagnosed yet under emotional
impairment. The 7 year old has behavior problems in which I, his parents and his teacher tend to on a daily basis with
different techniques.

READING TUTOR/TEACHING ASSITANT | 2/2016 – 4/2016

West Godwin Elementary School: 3546 Clyde Park Ave. S.W. Wyoming, MI 49509/ tel. 616-252-2030
Emily Jansen: jansen@godwinschools.org
Duties included:
- Preparing lesson plans ahead of time to then arrive at the elementary school every week, 2 days a week, for an hour
each time to teach these lesson plans to two individual students (2; a boy and a girl in Kindergarten).
- Reading aloud to students, participating in interactive activities with puppets and other reading materials, and playing
reading games.
- Marking down progress I saw with each of the children.
- Working with a head teacher to gain insights on children as well as ideas on how to incorporate what was learned in
class within my tutoring sessions. *Both of the children I tutored at West Godwin were qualified for Special Education
under Speech & Language.
- For a total of 6 hours throughout the semester, I worked as a teaching assistant for Emily Jansen within her classroom. I
would help her prepare for her lessons for the day, make copies, clean up her classroom, and most importantly,
interacting and helping all her students when needed.
- For a total of 2 hours throughout the semester, I shadowed one of West Godwin’s Resource Room teachers to absorb
knowledge, ideas and inspiration from her. During this these two hours, I helped her around the classroom as well as
provided my assistance to the many students that walked in and out of her classroom.

READING TUTOR| 10/2015 – 12/2015

Shawmutt Hills Elementary School: 2550 Burritt St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504/ tel. 616-819-3055
- Worked with the organization Schools of Hope
Duties included:
- Arriving to the school for a total of 30 minutes every Monday to read with a student in the library
- Participating in reading activities, playing educational games, and helping them improve their basic reading skills with
techniques both from Schools of Hope and my own knowledge.
- These students, in which I worked with, were behind significantly on their reading levels and some of the students were
qualified for Special Education.

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Skills & Abilities
· Strong leader who is both determined and passionate
· CPI Certified
· CPR & First Aid Certified
· Driven, great work ethic, and ready to achieve my goals
· Excellent at communicating with others with a bubbly personality
· Years of experience taking care, working with and actively teaching children of all unique types of ages, personalities,
qualities, and learning styles
· Taught lessons in reading, mathematics, and science

References:

Janet Navarro
Professor at Grand Valley State University
517-281-1832
Years known; 4 years

Jill Wizgird
Owner of Little Friends Preschool
810-814-2203
Years known; 2 years

Joanne Figot
Director of Little Friends Preschool
734-308-9473
Years known; 2 years

Carolyn Otterman
Elementary School Teacher
734-904-3596
Years known; 16 years

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