Cecilia Muscarella

www.cmuscarellaportfolio.weebly.com
295 Oak Hill Road, Red Bank, NJ 07701
muscarc1@tcnj.edu//(732)-275-2856
Education
The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ May 2014
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education
Bachelor of Science in Psychology: Developmental Psychology Specialization
Current GPA: 3.88
Florence University of the Arts, Florence, Italy Summer 2013

Honors & Awards
Deans List 7/7 semesters
Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology, TCNJ (Spring 2013-present)
Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, TCNJ (Spring 2012-present)
Golden Key Honor Society, TCNJ (Fall 2011-present)
Joseph & Stella Fasinski Scholarship Fund - Selected by TCNJ alumni scholarship donor Shirley Anderson
Direct donation to TCNJ Academic Merit Scholarship (2010-2014) in support of academic achievements and
continued success in the TCNJ School of Education

Certification & Licensing
CEAS Elementary Education, The State of New Jersey (May 2014)
Early Childhood Praxis: Content Knowledge (5022), passed: 193 (August 2013)
Elementary Education Praxis: Multiple Subjects (5031), passed: 194, 175, 186, & 184 (December 2013)
Pursuing Middle School Mathematics (0069) & Middle School Science (0439) endorsements (Spring 2014)
New Jersey HIB Certification (November 2012 & Spring 2013)
CPR & First Aid Certification (May 2011, renewed August 2013)

Teaching Experience
Senior Fall Student Teacher, Walter C. Black Elementary School, East Windsor, NJ (Fall 2013)
Increasingly acquired greater teaching responsibility in a first grade classroom of 23 diverse students.
Planned, prepared, and taught daily lessons in all content areas based on curricula: Wilson Fundations,
Journeys Common Core Reading Program, Go Math Common Core, and Harcourt Social Studies.
Independently led the first grade class for three full-time teaching weeks; adapted lessons and differentiated
instruction to meet the needs of all students in their learning processes and assessed student understanding
using creative formal and informal techniques.
Introduced a new classroom management program and designed creative Daily Five centers to promote
student choice and independence.
Initiated a family engagement project in which parents received an individualized weekly newsletter with a
photo of their child that was designed to provide families with a glimpse into the classroom.
Developed positive relationships with parents and families through actively participating in back to school
night, assisting with parent conferences, and obtaining positive feedback on the weekly newsletter.
Collaborated with members of the faculty and staff at team meetings, workshops, and faculty meetings.
Utilized technology such as the Elmo document camera, PowerPoint, Prezi, Excel, and Google Earth to
facilitate learning, display student work, and enhance spatial understanding of geography.
Volunteered to dress as the school mascot for a K-2 quarterly Dolphin Pride School Assembly.
Junior Spring Student Teacher, Hopewell Elementary School, Hopewell, NJ (Spring 2012)
Worked closely with a 2
nd
grade teacher to instruct students in various subject lessons and activities, provided
individual assistance for students and ELL children, and administered a NJ oral reading assessment.
Collaborated with the school guidance counselor and the other 2
nd
grade teachers to implement a grade-wide
anti-bullying activity based off of the schools monthly whole-school meeting.
Taught seven weekly lessons in various subject areas that met the Common Core State Standards and included
guided reading, phonics, mentor texts, and lessons from the Everyday Mathematics curriculum.
Conceptualized and taught a 2-week, 10-lesson unit on light and shadows that incorporated student inquiry
and experiments to achieve student objectives in learning while developing the scientific process skills.
Promoted the use of technology and family involvement in student work.
Developed and implemented a differentiation action plan based on the needs of individual students.
Cecilia Muscarella page 2

Junior Fall Field Experience, Brunswick Acres Elementary School, South Brunswick, NJ (Fall 2012)
Facilitated a kindergarten class by providing hands-on assistance for the teacher and students.
Taught one math lesson and one science lesson that incorporated principles of inquiry, kinesthetic activity,
and manipulatives to improve student learning and active involvement.
Planned and initiated an intervention for a student with a math misconception.
Interviewed and assessed students using NJ standardized math and literacy assessments, complied
educational diaries on two students, and interviewed the cooperating teacher on classroom management
techniques.
Sophomore Spring Field Experience (Spring 2012)
Bright Horizons Preschool, Pennington, NJ: Assisted the teachers and students in a 3 year old preschool class,
taught one literacy lesson that was designed to maximize student learning using hands-on activities and oral
sharing, and observed the creative curriculum in practice.
Neptune Early Childhood Center, Neptune, NJ: experienced the Tools of the Mind curriculum in practice.
Princeton Montessori School, Princeton, NJ: observed the Montessori curriculum in practice.
Sophomore Fall Field Experience, Wilson Elementary School, Trenton, NJ (Fall 2011)
Facilitated student learning in a bilingual first grade classroom, gained observational knowledge, and
administered literacy assessments to students.
Compiled a developmental and educational case study of one student focusing on the Omnibus Guidelines, NJ
Core Curriculum Standards, and the Common Core State Standards.

Related Teaching Experience
Choreographer and Teacher, The College of New Jerseys Synergy Dance Company, Ewing, NJ (2010-present)
Elected Synergy Dance Captain (2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014 school years)
Choreograph for dance performances and teach dance choreography to college students in the company.
Coordinate the collaboration of executive board members and organize classes, events, and fundraisers.
Zumba Instructor, The College of New Jersey Fitness Center, Ewing, NJ (2012-present)
Choreograph and teach Zumba fitness classes that are designed to best benefit the fitness center members.
Student Teacher, The Kathryn Barnett School of Dance, Red Bank, NJ (2006-2010, July 2011 & 2012)
Provided assistance with teaching young children, ages 3-7, in dance classes of approximately 15 children.
Taught young dancers, ages 7-18, in summer dance camp classes of approximately 15 children.
Student Teacher Volunteer, Ocean Avenue Elementary School, Middletown, NJ (Summer 2011)
Middletown Township Extended School Year Program, class of 20 post-first-grade students.
Assisted the teacher with lessons focused on reading and literacy skills designed to help future 2nd graders.

Professional Development
Kappa Delta Pi Webinars: have attended 15 webinars in continuing education (September 2012-present)
TCNJ Infant & Child Studies Research Lab, Research Assistant & Website Director (Spring 2012-present)
Teacher Evaluations & SGOs Workshop, TCNJ (December 2013)
AD/HD Workshop, TCNJ (November 2013)
edcampNJ, New Brunswick, NJ (November 2013)
Formative Assessment: Theory & Practice, TCNJ (October 2013)
Fundations Curriculum Workshop, East Windsor Regional School District (August 2013)
Maymester Methods Course: Teaching Science Outside of the Classroom, TCNJ (May 2013)
Workshops at the NJ Forest Resource Education Center, Liberty Science Center, and Philadelphia Zoo
In-class workshops: Physical/Movement Education in Classrooms, Science Research, & Inquiry Methods
Teaching English Language Learners Workshop, TCNJ (April 2013)
New Jersey Anti-bullying Workshop, TCNJ (January 2013)
Project Learning Tree Workshop, TCNJ (January 2013)

Specialized Skills & Volunteer Work
Dancer - training in various styles and disciplines (1994-present)
Volunteer instructor - Zumba fundraising classes for Breast Cancer Awareness, Relay for Life, and Hurricane Relief
Volunteer - The Holiday Express: nonprofit organization for the less fortunate (2000-2011)
Worked with, entertained, and assisted adults and children with various disabilities and diseases.
Organized and donated to food, clothing, candy, and toy-drives for the homeless and those in need.