Best practices in teaching and learning
Mrs. Sara Taylor Professional Career:
- Educational Contractor/Consultant: 2015 – Present
- Design and deliver professional learning sessions for school districts throughout the United States focused on increasing professional capacity with strong instructional pedagogy and curriculum development
- Provide onsite and virtual coaching support of teachers using a student-centered model
- Tier 1 Instruction Specialist: 2014 – 2021
- Create and present professional learning around best practices at the building and district level, including graduate courses for University of Central Missouri and conferences in Missouri and Kansas
- Create, facilitate, and provide ongoing professional learning around Student-Centered Coaching with District Reading and Math Specialists to impact student learning
- Design and facilitate classroom lab experiences for teachers and administrators to notice and name effective teaching practices and provide high-quality feedback
- Provide instruction resources to support district curriculum, initiatives, and priorities
- Classroom Teacher: 2001-2014, 2020-2021
- Differentiated instruction using a “Flipped Classroom” and “360-Degree” model
- Enhanced learning with technology and innovative practices
- Provided online and blended learning experiences through the Schoology platform
- Implemented a Standards-Referenced reporting system to communicate student progress toward specific learning targets/goals
- Supported a variety of learners including ELL, SPED, 504, and Gifted students
- Mrs. Sara Taylor selected as a finalist for Teacher of Year in 2012 for the Lee’s Summit School District
Personal, Hobbies, In My Spare Time, Unique Facts:
- I am a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and Christ-follower.
- I enjoy music, sports, reading, listening to podcasts, exercising, hiking, sunshine, and being on the water.
- When I am not supporting educators, I enjoy being a mom to my three kids and supporting my husband in the fields of waste management, construction and demolition, and recycling.
- I am a Rotarian, member of our local Chamber, and on the Board of ProDeo Youth Center (an educational non-profit supporting local teens).
- I believe my strengths to be a detail-oriented problem-solver, strategic thinker, listener and information gatherer, relationship builder, idea generator, and organizer of resources and experiences.
What I Love About School / The Profession of Education:
I cherish any opportunity to positively impact the life of a student or adult by creating experiences in which we learn and grow.
Favorite Quotes:
“When one teaches, two learn.” — Robert Heinlein
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” — Socrates
Favorite or Most Impactful Teacher Growing Up:
My mother, who taught high school French. Although I was never her student in a classroom, she taught me what commitment to her students and colleagues looked like. She modeled a work-life balance that put the right people first at the right time. She was a learner, always looking for ways to better reach her students and lead her peers. She possessed a strong work ethic and was respected by many.