Portfolio

About Me

I am a professional educator with over fifteen years of experience in academic advising, language teaching, and program coordination. I am currently a doctoral student at the University of Basque Country in Spain. My research focus is language learning beyond the classroom and the impact of immersive environments. I am highly organized, personable, and enthusiastic. I am passionate about equity in education and enthusiastic about student success. In my free time, I love yoga, dance fitness, hiking, paddleboarding, coffee, travel, books, and (of course) languages.

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 2022 to April 2023

Designed engaging and interactive lessons for English language learners in a bilingual Spanish high school
Assisted the lead teacher with English instruction in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

Assistant Teaching Professor and Academic Adviser

University of Washington, Scandinavian Studies Department, Seattle WA

Aug 2018 to present (leave of absence)

Plan, teach, and assess Swedish language courses with a focus on meaningful communication 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
Provide supplemental online instruction and advising with Zoom, Canvas, and other educational technologies
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 fellows while they were abroad
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 (Academic 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, SWED101-103 & SWED201-203
Honors Study Abroad 2024: Art & Activism in the Nordic Region
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

BeREAL Mindfulness Facilitator Training, UW

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 syllabus design is learner-centered. I prioritize experiential learning, including action (task-based learning) and reflection (learning how to learn).

I view language as a dynamic resource for communication, and I believe that significant learning happens through real, authentic, and meaningful interactions and experiences. I use a variety of activities such as dialogues, information gaps, projects and tasks to facilitate active learning and keep things fun. While I prioritize a communicative classroom, I weave in grammar and form, as it is essential for making language meaningful.

I am energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about my job. I encourage students to be active agents of their learning and I incororate reflection into the syllabus, providing opportunities for "learning how to learn".

I prioritize building a sense of trust and community in the classroom. In order to respect the diversity of learners in every classroom and create an inclusive learning environment, I use scaffolding techniques to connect the introduction of new learning with students’ prior knowledge. I work to make lessons unique and adequately challenging, according to students’ needs and learning objectives. I am always evaluating and assessing student learning, informally and formally, and I adapt my teaching accordingly.

Above all, I maintain positive expectations for all students, and I make sure that students in my classroom are fully aware of my passion for teaching, as well as my enthusiasm for their success.

Top 5 Teaching Strengths

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.
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 the pronouns they use. I use inclusive and respectful language, and I offer an encouraging smile as often as possible.
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 respect and value the individual identities in the classroom.
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.
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 to allow students 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

About Me

CV

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

TEACHING ENDORSEMENTS

WORK EXPERIENCE

COURSES & WORKSHOPS TAUGHT

MORE TRAINING & SKILLS

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Quotes from Students

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

Teaching Philosophy

Top 5 Teaching Strengths

Study Abroad

CV

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy

Study Abroad

Teaching Philosophy

Study Abroad

Photos

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Study Abroad

Reviews

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion