Kim Kraft

Kim KraftKim KraftKim Kraft
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Kim Kraft

Kim KraftKim KraftKim Kraft

Iniciaste sesión como:

filler@godaddy.com

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  • Study Abroad
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About Me

I am an Assistant Teaching Professor of Swedish at the University of Washington in Seattle. This year, I am living in Spain and studying sociolinguistics. I am especially interested plurilingual and intercultural education, translanguaging, as well as emotions such as anxiety and confidence in the language classroom. In my freetime, I love yoga, dance fitness, hiking, paddleboarding, coffee, travel, and books.

CV

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Professional educator with over fifteen years of experience in academic advising, language teaching (English and Swedish), and program coordination. Highly organized, personable and enthusiastic. Passionate about equity in education and enthusiastic about student success.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

  • MA Scandinavian Language & Literature, University of Washington
  • MS Education, Old Dominion University
  • BA Communications, University of Washington

TEACHING ENDORSEMENTS

Washington State Teaching Certificate 

  • Middle Level Humanities Endorsement
  • English Language Arts Endorsement
  • English Language Learners Endorsement


TESOL Certificate, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle WA

WORK EXPERIENCE

English Language Teaching Assistant (Auxiliare de Conversación)

IES Alonso Cano, Dúrcal, Spain

October to April 2022

  • Design engaging and interactive lessons for English language learners in a bilingual Spanish high school
  • Assist the lead Spanish teacher with English instruction in CLIL courses including: Biology, History, Physics, Geography, Technology, and Math
  • Program is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education to improve access to English language instruction for all students.


Assistant Teaching Professor and Academic Adviser

University of Washington, Scandinavian Studies Department, Seattle WA

Aug 2018 to present 

  • Plan, teach, and assess Swedish language courses with a focus on Communicative Language Teaching and active learning strategies 
  • Assist undergraduate students with setting academic goals, monitoring degree progress, and developing career plans. Positively contribute to overall student persistence, retention, and completion using a student-centered, individualized approach to advising.
  • Facilitate departmental community-building events throughout the year
  • Pivoted to online instruction and advising with Zoom, Canvas, and other educational technologies during the global pandemic 
  • Co-directed month-long study abroad programs to Sweden in 2019 and 2022 with a focus on social justice in the Nordics 


Honors Program Academic Adviser

University of Washington, Honors Program, Seattle WA

Sept 2016 to June 2018

  • Provided academic advising to undergraduates students in the Honors program
  • Facilitated information sessions for prospective students and their families
  • Assisted with the Bonderman Travel Fellowship, including reviewing applications, interviewing, facilitating orientations, and providing ongoing support for traveling fellows
  • Co-taught and developed curriculum for first-year Honors seminars 


International Student Program Adviser

Edmonds College, International Student Services, Lynnwood WA

Aug 2013 to Sept 2016

  • Provided academic and cultural advising for a cohort of international students with the Community College Initiative program funded by the U.S. Department of State 
  • Assisted students throughout the year with cultural adjustment and academic concerns
  • Facilitated off-campus activities related to learning about U.S. culture and society
  • Maintained partnerships with internship providers, service-learning organizations, local businesses, and interested community members


Swedish Language Instructor (Graduate Student Employee)   

University of Washington, Department of Scandinavian Studies, Seattle WA

Sept 2011 to June 2013

  • Taught first-year Swedish language classes to domestic and international students
  • Collaborated with fellow TAs and faculty to plan curriculum and design assessments
  • Utilized online tools and class website to enhance communication


Academic Adviser and Student Success Adjunct Faculty  

Olympic College, Student Services, Bremerton WA  

Aug 2006 to June 2011

  • Assisted prospective and current students with course selection, degree planning, and educational plans as well as overall navigation of the U.S. community college system 
  • Coordinated an Orientation to College program including revising the curriculum, designing an instructor handbook, training instructors, scheduling and teaching courses 
  • Partnered with other departments to design learning communities for special populations such as Running Start, Worker Retraining, and developmental English students  
  • Conducted New Student Advising sessions and Running Start orientations in one-on-one, small group, and large group formats 
  • Taught face-to-face, hybrid, and online courses including Strategies for Academic Success and Dependable Strengths

COURSES & WORKSHOPS TAUGHT

University of Washington, Spring 2017 to present

  • Swedish Language, SWED201-203
  • Honors Study Abroad 2022: Justice in the Nordic Region
  • Honors Study Abroad 2019: Looking to Sweden as a Model for Human Rights
  • Co-instructor for HONORS397: Peer Educator Seminar
  • Co-instructor for HONORS100: First Year Seminar


Edmonds Community College, Fall 2013 to Fall 2016

  • Professionalism Workshop: Resume/CVs and Interviewing
  • Dependable Strengths Process for International Students
  • Orientation to Life in the United States for International Students


Olympic College, Student Development, Fall 2006 to Spring 2012. , Fall 2020 to present

  • COLL 133 Running Start and Beyond
  • GEN-S 100 Strategies for Academic Success
  • GEN-S 101 Orientation to College
  • GEN-S 130 Dependable Strengths Process

MORE TRAINING & SKILLS

Undocu-Ally Training, Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center, UW

Forefront Suicide Prevention LEARN® Training, UW

Leading with Racial Equity for Structural Transformation Workshop, UW 

Cultural Proficiency for Social Justice Training, EdCC

Mental Health First Aid Training, EdCC

Proficient with MS Office, Google Docs, and Canvas eLearning Management System

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate 

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Assoc. of Swedish Teachers and Researcher in America (ASTRA)

Seattle Branch of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce (SACC)

Swedish Translators in North America (STiNA)

Swedish Trans-Atlantic Researchers and Scholars Network (STARS)

Quotes from Students

Here is what students have said about my teaching and advising...

 

Classes are always fun and engaging! 


Thank you for everything!!! You are truly one of the best (if not the best) instructor I’ve had at UW. Your energy and love for the subject helps students learn so much.


Everyday I learned something new. 


Everyday Kim challenged us which I think is really important when learning a language. 


This class was a highlight of my 2020 pandemic year. I appreciate that I was challenged and that Kim was encouraging as we navigated language acquisition in a virtual setting! 


I think the variety in types of class lessons from lectures to group work to talking with Swedes was really helpful. 


I appreciated the varied learning activities, from making videos, to reading books, to writing, to speaking with native speaker! 


I felt comfortable making mistakes, which was really helpful. I tried my best, of course, but it was understood that I wasn’t going to do everything perfectly and that was okay! 


Kim really cares for us- keep that compassion! We notice and appreciate it. 


This language course uses multiple methods for teaching/understanding Swedish. We listen, write, speak, watch media relevant to current events in Sweden, work in groups, and have the opportunity to do Nordic-related community events in Seattle. This dynamic combination of events, opportunities, written, oral and group work ensures that all students have at least one channel through which to deeply absorb the material. It is highly interactive. 


My Swedish has made massive improvements and i’ve learned more about language as a whole.


The greatest asset to the class, in my opinion, was the instructor herself. She is very welcoming and actively helpful, and she makes it fun. 


Kim’s enthusiasm and understanding of the diversity of skills sets between students was exceptional . 

    Teaching Philosophy

    My approach to language teaching is inspired by Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) methods. I believe that significant language learning happens through real, authentic, and meaningful interactions and experiences. I use a variety of activities such as dialogues, information gaps, and experiential learning to facilitate active learning and keep things fun. I am energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about my job. I encourage students to be active agents of their learning and I prioritize building a sense of trust and community in the classroom.


    I recognize and appreciate the diversity of learners that exists in every classroom. In order to create an inclusive learning environment, I turn to Universal Design for Learning guidelines. I diversify how I present material. I use scaffolding techniques to combine the introduction of new learning with students’ prior knowledge. 


    I work to make lessons uniquely changing and adequately challenging, according to students’ needs and learning objectives. I constantly evaluate and assess student learning, informally and formally, in order to adapt my teaching.  Above all, I maintain positive expectations for all students. Students in my classroom are fully aware of my passion for teaching, as well as my enthusiasm for their success. 


    Top 5 Teaching Strengths 


    1. I facilitate a positive learning environment. I am transparent about my belief in all students' ability to be successful. I go out of my way to get to know students individually, so that I can provide the type of instruction they need. Students in my classroom are fully aware of my passion for teaching, as well as my enthusiasm for their success.  
    2. I focus on positive student interaction. My interaction with students is always based on respect combined with kindness. I make a point of addressing students by name and their preferred pronouns. I use inclusive and respectful language, and I offer an encouraging smile as often as possible. 
    3. I respect students' cultures and identities. I include culture in my classroom by surrounding students with multicultural learning materials that can help to engage students. I recognize that providing a cultural component to the classroom contributes to the sense of belonging and demonstrates that I recognize and value the unique and individual identities that make up my classroom. 
    4. I dedicate time to lesson planning. I am a planner and organizer by nature. I work hard to develop lessons with a fun opening or "hook", establish good pacing, sequence activities, transition between activities/tasks, and build flexibility into my lessons. Above all, I plan active lessons so that learning time is maximized. I avoid long lectures, and instead use mini-lessons to introduce new topics followed by several applicable exercises and activities that allow students to engage with the material. 
    5. I group students for active learning. I love seeing students actively working together, and I use a variety of grouping methods depending on the activity students are completing.  I rely heavily on "think-pair-share" opportunities, these are a great chance for students to take time to process their thoughts before asking them to share. This approach also reminds me to build in "wait time" rather than rushing to get answers. I also like chat circles so that students are sure to work with a variety of partners and everyone feels like they are an important part of the group.


    Diversity Statement

    Study Abroad

    I love planning, organizing, and facilitating experiential learning opportunities. If you are looking for a consultant for your study abroad program, let's talk about how we might work together. Click here for information about the programs I co-directed in 2019 and 2022. 

    Let's Talk!

    CV

    Teaching Philosophy

    Teaching Philosophy

    Teaching Philosophy

    Teaching Philosophy

    Teaching Philosophy

    Study Abroad

    Teaching Philosophy

    Study Abroad

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    Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

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