Jessica Yoakum
Education Specialist

           I am currently attending Liberty University to pursue my Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Education – Special Education.  I have previously attended the University of Kansas and graduated with a Masters in Special Education- High Incidence Disabilities (MSE) and Leadership in Inclusive and Special Education (LSIE). My foundational special education knowledge was built at Avila University where I graduated with an undergraduate degree in Special Education- Cross-Categorical K-12  and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education K-6 (BS).  My ability to build positive relationships with students and peers is because of the variety of teaching experiences within the Kansas City area and my personal experiences in rural and urban schools.  My recent coursework in general and special education enables me to gain a broad perspective with different learning styles and instructional methods in mind.

 

          During my coursework all of my coursework, I was provided with many field-based experiences in rural, suburban, urban, charter, and parochial school settings in every one of my education courses.  Within many of my field-based experiences, I was able to assess students and provide them with individualized and differentiated instruction to help remediate their learning needs.  I worked each semester with groups and individual students within the spectrum and with various disabilities.  Every student's’ experience was enriched by differentiating lessons for learning styles, IEPs, 504s, gifted/talented abilities, as well as cultural and socio-economic needs.  I have also provided schools with peer-time-samples, social interaction data, and proposed behavioral interventions (FABI) through a comprehensive intergraded three-tiered model of prevention method http://www.ci3t.org/ which I have also used in my own classrooms. This information was used for general and special education staff to use while creating goals for their students. Because I consider myself a lifelong learner, I still constantly reflecting on my work with all students and teachers. I consistently collect data, review progress, and find ways to increase it through methods that best help student needs. I use current evidence-based research and information obtained from my current and past coursework to determine how I can best help students and teachers in the classroom. 

 

My experiences have provided me with a foundation for success as an educator. I truly believe that we are all lifelong learners and I enjoy sharing this belief with all students and their families.