Megan Oteri is an educator with vision and purpose. Her forte is helping students find their unique voices, and unleashing the power of story within each child. She has taught a wide range of students and is no stranger to the classroom, having worked with youth from elementary through high school. Her writing and photography has appeared in national publications.
She has a Bachelor of Arts in Special and Elementary Education from Providence College and a Master of Arts in English from East Carolina University. Trainings, certifications, and grants include LEGO Education Academy, Kennedy Center National Seminar for Teaching Artists, North Carolina teaching license, National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient, North Carolina and Wyoming Arts Council grant recipient, and Borchardt Study Abroad Award (University of Surrey, England) fellowship.
Education
Master of Arts in English from East Carolina University
She has a Bachelor of Arts in Special and Elementary Education from Providence College and a Master of Arts in English from East Carolina University. Trainings, certifications, and grants include LEGO Education Academy, Kennedy Center National Seminar for Teaching Artists, North Carolina teaching license, National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient, North Carolina and Wyoming Arts Council grant recipient, and Borchardt Study Abroad Award (University of Surrey, England) fellowship.
Education
Master of Arts in English from East Carolina University
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary and Special Education from Providence College
Presentations
Wilson County Schools, 2017 Meredith College, 2016 Wilson Partnership for Children, 2016 North Carolina English Teachers Conference, 2015 South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference, 2011-2013 East Carolina University Visiting Lecturer, 2011 East Carolina University English Department Graduate School Conference, 2011 National Council of Teachers of English Conference, 2008 Johnston County School District, 2008 Wyoming School Improvement Conference, 2005 National Council of Teachers of English Conference hand-out
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Certifications
LEGO® Serious Play® Workshop Facilitator
LEGO® Education Academy Trainer
North Carolina Professional Educator's License
Certified in Elementary (K-6), Cross Categorical (K-12), and Middle School Language Arts (6-9)
LEGO® Serious Play® Workshop Facilitator
LEGO® Education Academy Trainer
North Carolina Professional Educator's License
Certified in Elementary (K-6), Cross Categorical (K-12), and Middle School Language Arts (6-9)
Grant Writing
I've written and received numerous grants totaling over $20,000. Some of those grants are National Endowment for the Arts, Wyoming Arts Council, and North Carolina Arts Council grants.
North Carolina Arts Council:
* Regional Artist Project Grant, 2015 and 2013
National Endowment for the Arts and Wyoming Arts Council grants:
* Tumblewords, 2003
Orchestrated WordBand poetry band to come to Attention Homes School to perform and conduct a two-day poetry writing and performance reading workshop to culminate a poetry unit with residential treatment students ages 12-17
* Arts Across Wyoming, 2003
Grant to assist with production expenses to perform two plays, Disas-Tour and Things Not Seen, both student written screenplays
* Arts Access, 2004
Two-day writing workshop with professional writer, Page Lambert
* Arts in Education, 2004
* Professional Development, 2004
North Carolina Arts Council:
* Regional Artist Project Grant, 2015 and 2013
National Endowment for the Arts and Wyoming Arts Council grants:
* Tumblewords, 2003
Orchestrated WordBand poetry band to come to Attention Homes School to perform and conduct a two-day poetry writing and performance reading workshop to culminate a poetry unit with residential treatment students ages 12-17
* Arts Across Wyoming, 2003
Grant to assist with production expenses to perform two plays, Disas-Tour and Things Not Seen, both student written screenplays
* Arts Access, 2004
Two-day writing workshop with professional writer, Page Lambert
* Arts in Education, 2004
* Professional Development, 2004
- $2,500 awarded to attend Teachers & Writers and Urban Word NYC's training, Spoken Word Training for School and Community Educators week-long conference in New York City
- Grant included substitute teacher expenses, conference registration fee, hotel, airfare, food allowance, and material allowance to purchase Spoken Word and poetry teaching resources from Teachers & Writers publication library
- Part of this grant included extending my learning experience and knowledge at the Wyoming School Improvement conference where I presented Spoken Word in the Classroom. The grant, The Diverse Voices of Poetry was a natural extension to this inspiring experience; which introduced Spoken Word to Wyoming's students and educators.
- Grant title: Diverse Voices of Poetry and An Evening at the Atlas
- Two-day poetry writing workshop with three professional performance poets, Jack Collom, Akilah Oliver, and George Lee Miles and evening poetry performances, open mic, and poetry slam at the historic Atlas Theater. The total project value of this grant was $7,400, $2,000 awarded to Attention Homes, Inc., residential treatment center in Cheyenne, Wyoming serving at-risk children ages 12-17. I taught Special Education and Language Arts at Attention Homes from 2002-2006.
- Slideshow below showcases some highlights.
National Public Radio segment and interview about The Diverse Voices of Poetry and Spoken Word in Wyoming. Cue to 16:08 in audio recording.
A new poetry movement "Spoken Word" is coming to Wyoming with a workshop on why children in the state are finding poetry by being expressive.
A new poetry movement "Spoken Word" is coming to Wyoming with a workshop on why children in the state are finding poetry by being expressive.
Project Description: The Diverse Voices of Poetry
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Final Grant Report: The Diverse Voices of Poetry
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2013 North Carolina Arts Council and Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge Individual Artist Project Grant recipient. I received this grant to conduct on-site archival research at the Evanston History Center in Evanston, Illinois to research The Evanston Community Kitchen. This is an on-going book project I am working on about my great-grandmother and her associates who co-founded the Evanston Community Kitchen, a model for the nation during the early 20th century of centralized kitchens.
Educator
Experienced educator, North Carolina certification: K-12 Cross Categorical Special Education, K-6 Elementary Education, and 6-9 Language Arts.
Experienced educator, North Carolina certification: K-12 Cross Categorical Special Education, K-6 Elementary Education, and 6-9 Language Arts.
- 14 years experience as a Special Education, Elementary Education, Middle and High School Language Arts classroom teacher
- Arts Integration Specialist, integrating the Arts and fostering creativity in the classroom
- Knowledgeable of current educational pedagogy (Differentiated Instruction, Technology Integration, Best Practices, Positive Behavior Support, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Problem Solving Skills, Communicating, Making Connections, Creativity, Personal Expression, and Contextualization)
- Effective at implementation of innovative strategies to motivate and instruct students at their individual learning level, as well as delivering instruction through their preferred learning style
- Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Special Education
- Successful facilitation of parent conferences, IEP meetings, and Special Education meetings with parents, school personnel, and IEP team participants
Writing Instruction and Facilitation
Helping teenagers claim their voice
Helping teenagers claim their voice
I enjoyed working with students in residential treatment as a Language Arts and Special Education teacher at Attention Homes School from 2002-2006. Because the focus was on the student's overall emotional health and recovery (many were in residential treatment for various reasons including addiction, abuse, neglect, and delinquency), we were able to educate students at their individual level. I practiced Differentiated Instruction before it was a catch phrase. My students grew at least two grade levels per calendar year under my instruction. I used STAR reading and Accelerated Reader as a supplemental program, which targeted their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). |
Martin Luther King Jr. statewide essay contest (Wyoming)
My students won four years in a row from 2002-2006 during my tenure at Attention Homes as the Language Arts teacher.
My students won four years in a row from 2002-2006 during my tenure at Attention Homes as the Language Arts teacher.
2008 Poetry Day at Archer Lodge Middle School
Curriculum Design
Created first 100 days of lesson plans for middle school Language Arts first year teachers in Johnston County School District
Created first 100 days of lesson plans for middle school Language Arts first year teachers in Johnston County School District
Technology Integration
Writing and Technology Integration, North Carolina State University Graduate Course, ECI 519 -- Selected as a Borchardt Fellow to study abroad at the University of Surrey in England, July 2014. Click here to view my online portfolio from the course, as well as a description of the course.
Writing and Technology Integration, North Carolina State University Graduate Course, ECI 519 -- Selected as a Borchardt Fellow to study abroad at the University of Surrey in England, July 2014. Click here to view my online portfolio from the course, as well as a description of the course.
"Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner, analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions -- as accessible as all other classroom tools."-- National Educational Technology Standards for Students for Students, International Society for Technology in Education
I was fortunate to work in Greene County School District as a fourth grade teacher. As a one-to-one school district, Green County students and teachers have daily access to Macbooks, iPads, smartboards, student response systems, iPod touches, and Apple software.
Incorporating Envision Math, my students flourished using this program. Some teachers (we can called them old-school) made comments such as, "Her students are always on the computers," as we did have to share our computer laptop cart between three teachers. I habitually signed up for my daily computer slot for my class' math instruction. The result was engaged students, well executed Differentiated Instruction, and the highest End of Grade (EOG) test scores school wide. Technology integration can be intimidating to some teachers. I embraced the opportunity and became a better teacher for it. |
The above project was created using GoAnimate in North Carolina State University's graduate education course, ECI 519, Writing and Technology Integration at the University of Surrey, England. The project below was created in the same study abroad course using myHistro.com, which was awarded the 2013 American Association of School Librarians 2013 Best Website for Teaching and Learning.
I believe technology integration is a great equalizer in the classroom and enables students of all learning abilities to be successful. Technology also engages students immediately, thus eliminating potential behavior problems. Technology integration is a win-win for teacher, student, and administrators. |