SARAH ABENT

126 E. Main Street Suite C // DeWitt, MI 48820 • (517) 282-8997 • sarahabent.weebly.com • seabent@yahoo.com

CERTIFICATIONS

• English Language Arts – grades 6-12 • Psychology – grades 6-12

EDUCATION
Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
Bachelor of Arts • April 2014
Major: English Secondary Education • Minor: Psychology Secondary Education
Overall GPA: 3.3 • Major GPA: 3.7 • Honors: Dean’s List – Fall 2011, Fall 2013, Winter 2014.

Participant of GVSU’s Spring 2013’s English Education Maastricht, Netherlands Study Abroad Program
Recipient of GVSU's English Department Study Abroad Scholarship

Holt High School Holt, MI

General Education • June 2010

CLASSROOM TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Blended Learning Academies Credit Recovery High School Lansing, MI

August 2014-Present (Year-round) • English Language Arts Teacher – 9-12 Grade
 Facilitated and implemented the learning of all English language arts classes for every student enrolled.
 Established classroom procedures through classroom management techniques to ensure a safe and productive learning
environment.
 Created, provided, and executed extensive differentiated instruction to provide students with engaging lessons through the
use of Common Core State Standards.
 Identified individual student needs, adapting the English language arts curriculum to fit the learning style and comprehen-
sion level of students.
 Established academic and behavioral interventions for students, allowing each student the opportunity to receive credit
for current English language arts classes, as well as recover credits previously failed to obtain.
 Integrated technology of the 21st century into lessons, including online learning program Kickstand, Promethean Boards,
GoogleDocs, and iPads.
 Expedited guided, close reading centers focused on critical thinking and reading comprehension via nonfiction and exposi-
tory writing.
 Generated interactive reading intervention techniques that included modified instruction for students who struggled with
reading fluency and comprehension.
 Cultivated multicultural lessons based upon nonfiction works such as I Am Malala and Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young
Girl.
 Facilitated the discovery of contrasting world views and discussion of essential questions surrounding differing cultures
and communities through the use of language arts materials.
 Collaborated with fellow teachers to create and execute cross-curricular units that included Anne Frank: The Diary of a
Young Girl and the Holocaust.
 Served as the teacher for all IEP meetings.
 Attended and participated in weekly staff meetings and monthly professional development opportunities, with extensive
professional development training during summer breaks.
 Responsible for proctoring and administering NWEA testing.
 Responsible for proctoring and administering PSAT and SAT tests.
 Rewrote and reformatted the Blended Learning Academies Student Handbook, providing extensive detail of the institu-
tion’s rules, regulations, and procedures, including behavioral interventions and legal notices.
 Revised, edited, and upgraded the 2015-2016 School Improvement Plan, serving as the School Improvement Leader for the
2015-2016 school year.
 Created and maintained the Blended Learning Academies school website.
 Wrote and received a fully-funded, $1000 project grant from DonorsChoose.org to fun class sets of books.
 Wrote and received a $5000 grant from Lowe’s Toolbox for Education to implement a school community garden; lead stu-
dents in the creation of the community garden with grant funds.
 CLASSROOM TEACHING EXPERIENCE CONTINUED

Valleywood Middle School Kentwood, MI

June 16-19 2014 • Summer School Substitute Teacher – Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade
• Created lesson plans for students struggling with reading and writing.
• Carried out lesson plans with small groups and large groups using the Readers' and Writers' Workshop methods.
• Used skills learned in the field to manage classrooms that included three different grade levels.

Kenowa Hills High School Grand Rapids, MI

January-April 2014 • Student Teacher – College Prep English and Sophomore English Language Arts
 Created and taught unit plans for all five classes, which included day-by-day lesson plans, for six weeks.
 Collaborated with members of the English department on said unit plans.
 Communicated with special education teachers to find the best course of action for students with IEPs.
 Attended full-staff meetings, English department meetings, professional development days, and IEP meetings.
 Was responsible for updating the class website on a weekly basis with weekly agenda, assignments, and handouts.
 Created a “teacher Twitter” for updates on homework, school events, and communication with students on assignments.
 Led parent/teacher conferences.

Grandville Middle School Grandville, MI

September-December 2013 • Teacher Assistant – Eighth and seventh grade English Language Arts
 Aided teacher in facilitating classroom lessons and activities.
 Carried out lesson plans with small groups and large groups using the Readers' and Writers' Workshop methods.
 Responsible for completing one-on-one literary-based meetings with students.
 Created individualized reading and writing goals with each student for them to reach by the end of the trimester.
 Participated in parent/teacher conferences.

United World Colleges – Maastricht Maastricht, NL

May 28-June 25, 2013 • Student Teacher
 Observed English classes from day to day.
 Carried out lesson plan in eleventh grade English class with other student teachers.
 Assisted eighth grade English teachers in setting up and facilitating school event.
 Gained a new perspective on the education system, providing me with a unique and pragmatic teaching style.