1. Valerie E. Pelak
802 Arlington Ave. Unit #1. (630) 263-5427
La Grange, IL 60525 vpelak26@yahoo.com
Objective:
U.S. History, A.P. U.S. History, Government, World History, Economics, World Geography, Law,
Spanish, Psychology, Sociology, and A.P. Psychology Instructor at the high school level
Professional Teaching Experience:
Harold L. Richards High School Oak Lawn, IL
A.P. Psychology & Introduction to Psychology August 2013- Present
• Teaching responsibilities include 11th
and 12th
grade students in increasingly diverse environment
• Assistant varsity girls’ track & field and girls’ swimming coach, 2013- Present
• Community High School District 218 A.P. curriculum committee representative
• “Equity, Diversity, & Opportunity” committee building participant
• Implemented and coordinated poetry slam for “All-American Day” school-wide assembly
• Proficient and trained in UBD lesson plan design, creation, and application
• Reading and dissecting challenging texts and studies to understand new psychological research
• Generated and harnessed A.P. Psychology curriculum, per approved by the College Board
• Teaching practices that support a transition from high school classrooms to college expectations
Oak Park and River Forest High School Oak Park, IL
A.P. Psychology, Psychology, Human Behavior, and Social Problems August 2012- June 2013
• Teaching responsibilities include 10th
, 11th
, and 12th
grade students in diverse environment
• Designed curriculum and aligned standards for approved “Youth and Social Justice” course
• Northwest Personnel Administrators Teaching Fair, History Representative, Rosemont, 2013
• “Beyond Diversity: Racial Equity in the Classroom” learning strand participant
• Psychology club faculty co-sponsor, junior varsity girls’ assistant swimming coach, 2013
Elgin High School Elgin, IL
A.P. Psychology, Human Geography, Government, and Practical Law August, 2011-2012; 2008-2010
• Teaching responsibilities include 9th
, 10th
, 11th
, and 12th
grade students in diverse environment
• Illinois School District U-46 Head Project CRISS Trainer
• Faculty mock trial sponsor, state qualifier, University of Illinois at Springfield- March, 2012
• A.P. Psychology workshop, College of Lake County, October 2011
• Assistant girls’ varsity cross country coach and varsity girls’ tennis coach
Degrees:
Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL
• Bachelor of Arts, History December 2007
• Certification: History/Social Sciences, IL Type 09
• Endorsements: U.S. History, A.P. U.S. History, Political Science, World History, Economics,
Sociology, Psychology, A.P. Government and Politics, Spanish, and Anthropology
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
• Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with Honors May, 2002
• Minor in Spanish
