Elizabeth Kauffman
lkauffman8@earthlink.net
732-463-8886  OR  212-414-9841
 

 

EDUCATION
Certificate in Youth Literature
 (2006)
Rutgers University, School of Communication, Information and Library Science
New Brunswick, New Jersey

M.Ed. Elementary Education (1991)
Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

B.A. Literature (1987)
Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York

 

EMPLOYMENT
Bartle School, Highland Park, NJ
6th grade Language Arts teacher
Developed lesson plans and curriculum for 6th grade English instruction based on novel units and literature circles. Taught integrated grammar and writing units.

Piscataway Public Schools, Piscataway, NJ
Substitute Teacher
Substitute teacher at Grandview Elementary School. Long-term substitute music teacher at Conackamack Middle School.

Milltown Public Library, Milltown, NJ
Part-time Children’s Librarian  
www.lmxac.org/milltown
Responsible for maintaining children's book collection and coordinating children's programs including NJLA’s Summer Program, "Read and Grow @ Your Library."
 
WebWeaversInk.com, Piscataway, NJ
Freelance Editor and Writer
Clients include Highlights for Children and Scholastic.

Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet, New York, NY
Webmaster

Launched new website for national non-profit environmental organization: www.mothers.org. Mothers & Others was originally a branch of Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) advocating improved environmental health conditions for children in schools and homes, unfortunately the organization closed operations in 2001. My responsibilities included managing all areas of site development: acquiring and adapting content for the web, migrating the site to a new high-speed server, setting up back-end forms for secure cash/credit transactions using PGP encryption, supervising our consultant, and negotiating contracts with outside vendors. In addition, I managed staff e-mail accounts and oversaw network administration for our ten person office. Internet skills include fluency in HTML and PGP using Frontpage and Dreamweaver. I am familiar with both Mac and PC platforms.

Highlights for Children, Inc. Honesdale, Pennsylvania
1995-2000: New Media Editor Developed site design and content for the Highlights magazine Web site on AOL (1995-1998). Adapted printed material for publication on the Internet. Wrote monthly electronic newsletters. Site administrator for Highlights TeacherNet (www.teachernet.com) (6/98-4/00) Primary responsibilities: moderating discussion lists and bulletin boards, approving Web ring applicants, writing the newsletter, and scripting HTML for the calendar.
1994-1995: Project Editor, New Products.Edited children's trade books and developed ancillary products. Worked extensively with freelancers and packagers. Managed budgets and production schedules for several successful continuities: Highlights Top Secret Adventures, Puzzlemania, and Stories from Highlights. Coordinated product development, acquisition through printed product.
1991-1993 Assistant Editor, Highlights magazine.
Responsible for children's contributions and special features. Edited 13-point fiction. Acquired manuscript. Approved illustrations.



Nov. 2004-June 2006


January 2004-Nov. 2004



July 2002-
October 2003

August, 2001-
Present

April 2000-
July
2001

 

 

 



June 1991-
Dec. 2000

Graham and Parks Alternative Elementary School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Student Teacher, 5th & 6th Multiage Classroom

Developed daily lesson plans and curriculum units. Shared classroom management and teaching responsibilities with team teachers. Instructed advanced-level reading group (7 students) and basic math group (10 students). Assisted students with individual projects in the computer lab. Designed a poetry unit and used student writing in a printed class calendar which we sold to raise money for classroom projects. Used portfolio assessment, as well as traditional methods, to evaluate student performance in all curriculum areas. Participated in parent- teacher conferences and worked with team teachers to coordinate parent involvement.

Sept. 1990
Jan. 1991

Red Oak School, Boston, Massachusetts
ESL Elementary Teacher, Grade 2
Designed and taught ESL lessons for intensive summer language program to help Cantonese-speaking elementary students maintain English skills over summer break.

 

Summer 1990

The Fletcher School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Student Teacher, 1-day/week placement, Grade 5
Assisted primary teacher in class reading and math instruction. Extended the traditional curriculum through music and art enrichment activities.

 

January 1990-May 1990


 

The Learning Project, Boston, Massachusetts
Extended Day Teacher, Grades 1-4
Supervised extended day program with assistant teacher. Organized weekly field trips to places of interest in the community. Created special projects for students based on their personal interests; for example, building and painting a play house, sculpting a papier-mâché dinosaur, making instruments and performing music, writing a play.

The Writing Center at Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Writing Instructor/Writing Tutor
Tutored undergraduate and graduate students to improve expository writing skills. Developed and taught weekend writing course for graduate students.

 

 

Sept.1988-  June 1989

 

 

1987-1991

 


 

PUBLISHED WORK
Playtime Crafts and Activities, Boyds Mills Press, 1994
Highlights Book of Travel Games, Boyds Mills Press, 1993
Stories from Highlights (Project Editor for 60-title paperback series)
Highlights Sticker Stories (Project Editor)
Essential Learning Products, Reading Comprehension Books A-F (Project Editor) Highlights Top Secret Adventures (Production Editor)
Puzzlemania (Production Editor)

 

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
EdPress

 

 

AWARDS
EdPress-1998 Distinguished Achievement Award, Web Site (Publication/Periodical) EdPress-1994 Distinguished Achievement Award, Highlights Top Secret Adventures Oxfam America-Volunteer Award, “Voices of Dignity” Benefit Poetry Reading

 

 

VOLUNTEER WORK
2001-2003: Brownie Troop Leader, Girl Scouts USA
1993-1995: V.I.P. (Victims Intervention Program) Board President for local domestic violence and rape crisis center.
1989-1991: Oxfam America: Steering Committee member, “Voices of Dignity” Benefit Poetry Reading.

 

 
RELATED SKILLS
Extensive experience with Microsoft Word and Quark
Fluent in French
Seven  years experience developing K-8 educational Web sites