PETE HUFFER

2304 Short Ridge Road

Reston, VA 20191
(703) 758-8132

Email: pchuffer@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE
Teach and lead in an innovative environment where educators and students create
personalized learning experiences with lasting real world applications.
SUMMARY

Experienced elementary and middle school educator.

Expertise in gifted and talented, instructional technology, instructional design, and
bi-lingual education (Spanish).
Successfully differentiate instruction through inquiry learning, project-based
learning, exploration of multiple intelligences, and student initiative.
Developed STEM lab in which students explored engineering and robotics.
Foster student independence and emotional maturity through shared decisionmaking, exploration of interests, acceleration, and development of character.
PORTFOLIO
http://hufferportfolio.weebly.com/
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Teacher, grades 5 and 6

2008 to present
Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, VA
Sunrise Valley Elementary School, Reston, VA
Plan and teach lessons to integrate math, science, language arts, and history.
Guide students through Self-Organized Learning Environments in which they
learn about topics or questions of their own choosing.
Utilize online learning, simulations, projects, activity centers, and inquiry learning
to stimulate interest, creativity and problem-solving.
Value and encourage student decision-making to plan and run the class.
Use Responsive Classroom techniques along with infusion of contemporary
issues in character development such as leadership, mindfulness, and grit.
Technology Teacher
2006 to 2008
Flint Hill School, Oakton, VA
Taught computer applications to students from pre-K to grade 8.
Worked with teachers to integrate technology into their curricula and use student
information system.
Teacher, Gifted and Talented Specialist
1999 to 2002, 2004 to 2006
Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, VA
Taught enrichment and creativity lessons to students of high academic ability.
Collaborated with teachers to design and teach high interest curricula for high
ability students.
Conducted staff training on identifying and working with high ability students.

Instructional Technology Specialist

2003 to 2004
Peace Corps, Washington DC
Led project for curriculum redesign of overseas staff training.
Coordinated Training and Staff Development Unit activities and projects.
Led evaluation of pre-service training for Volunteers in 24 overseas programs.
Co-facilitated workshop for Peace Corps project managers in the Pacific region.
Graduate Student in Instructional Technology Design
2002 to 2003
George Mason University, Graduate School of Education, Fairfax, VA
Developed two web-based, interactive learning systems serving disabled, multicultural, and disadvantaged populations as member of graduate student team.
Teacher, grades 1 5
1994 to 1999
Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, VA
Haycock and Terraset Elementary Schools, FCPS
Teacher: grades 4 and 5 at Haycock (four years); grades 1 and 2 at Terraset (one
year).
Utilized simulations, projects, workshops, and hand-on activities to promote
inquiry learning and foster greater student motivation.
Designed and taught summer school course on principles of engineering in which
students (grades 1 to 3) built bridges, towers, and houses of different scales.
Teacher, grades 3 - 5
1990 to 1994
Los Angeles Unified School District,
Harrison Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
Bilingual instruction (Spanish and English) of all core curricula and ESOL.
Utilized games, simulations, and projects to promote learning and motivation.
Peace Corps Volunteer
1987 to 1989
Peace Corps, Senegal
Lived and worked in a small rural village to implement projects in reforestation,
agriculture, health education, literacy, and numeracy.
EDUCATION
Instructional Design and Technology, M. Ed.
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

2003

Bilingual Teacher Certification, K 12 (Spanish and English)

California State University, Los Angeles

1994

Political Economy of Natural Resources, BS

University of California, Berkeley

1985

Undergraduate Studies
Pomona College, Claremont, CA

1982

TECHNOLOGY

Google Apps for Education including documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

SmartBoard technology.
iPad and apps such as iMovie, Garage Band, others.
MS Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
Blackboard course management system.
Online learning: Khan Academy, IXL, Vocabulary.com, Edheads.org, Toys from
Trash, and others.
ADDITIONAL

Virginia Geographical Society Presidents Choice Award (1994) for 5th grade
mural of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Virginia Geographical Society Presidents Choice Award (1995) for 1st and 2nd
grade PowerPoint presentations of their location on Earth and in the Solar System.
Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund scholarship recipient (2001) for educational
exchange program in Japan.
Audubon Society Educators Week scholarship recipient (2002) for naturalist
study program on Hog Island, Maine.
Speak Spanish, French, and Wolof (Senegal).