zTidbits

**//maria.vita@pennmanor.net//**
 * // Maria Catherine Vita //**

EDUCATION Masters Equivalency Certification, Pennsylvania, 2004 Bachelor of Arts in History with Social Studies Certification
 * University of Wyoming in Laramie (over 30 graduate credits in history, ethnohistory)
 * Honors/Awards:
 * Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, 1998-2000
 * Recipient of Larson/McGee Graduate Student Fellowship, 1999
 * E.C. Barksdale Essays in History winner, 2000
 * Panel Participant, Speaker @ Annual Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association in NM, Feb. 2000
 * Graduate Teaching Assistantship, 1998-2000
 * Messiah College, Grantham, PA, May 1996

EXPERIENCE Teacher of Social Studies
 * Penn Manor High School, Millersville PA; August 2003 - present
 * Initiated, launched, and taught new course – Advanced Placement Psychology; curriculum audited and approved by the AP College Board
 * Continually maintain in-house laboratory with live rats for ethical research in learning
 * Nominated and honored with 2009-2010 Penn Manor School District “Outstanding Secondary Teacher” Award
 * 2012 APA/TOPSS "Excellence in Teaching Award" recipient (American Psychological Association) and (Teachers of Psychology Secondary Schools) - a national recognition featured in Monitor on Psychology


 * Zuni High School, Zuni, NM; August 2000 - May 2003
 * Increased student performance on the state standardized test by 14% in Social Studies; School was removed from “In Need of Improvement” list
 * Aligned curriculum with state, national standards as Interim Dept. Chair
 * Recognized for “Achievement Award” in 2003 by colleagues, school district
 * Sponsored student-activist group through Project 540; generated outstanding participation in the fight to protect the sacred Zuni Salt Lake


 * Townsend Harris High School, Flushing, NY; Feb. 1997 - June 1998
 * Designed inquiry based, cooperative units in Economics, Participatory Democracy and Global History, including a student simulation of mayoral campaign

CURRENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 * APA Annual Conference, Washington D.C., August 2011
 * Participated as reader for ETS/AP College Board in AP Psychology, June 2011-present
 * APA/Clark University Workshop for High School Teachers, Massachusetts, July 2010
 * AP Annual Conference, Washington D.C., July 2010
 * APA, TOPSS member, 2009-present
 * TOPSS (Teachers of Psychology Secondary Schools) Member at Large, 2013-2014

WEB PUBLISHED WORK >
 * Chosen to participate in "Literacy Design Collaborative" funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Spring/Summer 2011
 * Created written task for US History: It was chosen for standards alignment, rigor and appropriateness of sources
 * Informational task @http://pdesas.org/module/content/resources/20167/view.ashx
 * Hired part time to research and create lessons in local Pennsylvania history for ExplorePAHistory.com
 * Lazaretto (2010) Credit
 * Mother Jones (2009) Credit
 * Chautauqua (2007) Credit


 * Attended NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) Workshop on the Underground Railroad in July 2008.
 * Created lesson “Bold Defiance and Dissent in the UGRR” for Dickinson College “House Divided” site, August 2008 []

**//RECOMMENDATIONS//**

//"...quite clearly, an **excellent** teacher. I...rarely, if ever, heard my daughter...express so much interest and excitement over a class as she had when taking your AP Psychology course."// John Carle, parent of Penn Manor High School student in an unsolicited email, 2013

//“I have not heard of anyone seeing through to accomplish…such a creative idea for high school psychology. Everybody …was so impressed!”//

[On the rat lab] Dr. Lee Gurel, PhD, Psychology, 2010

//“…a bright and enthusiastic teacher!”//

Pat Hershey, parent of Penn Manor High School student in an unsolicited recommendation to principals, 2007

//“She…demonstrates the ability to motivate students at all levels of the ability spectrum… [a] major catalyst in raising scores…at…the state and national level…”//

Wayne Krinke, Guidance Counselor, Zuni H.S. 2003

//“Miss Vita has become known for her ability to produce student participation and interaction… Students not only have the opportunity to be involved, they must be!”// Dr. Dave Fontaine, former Zuni High School Principal, 2003

//“Her fine attributes…determination, creativity, intelligence…presage a wonderful career ahead…”// Dr. Malcolm G. Largmann, Retired Principal, NYC schools, 1998