Layla Otu

I am a dedicated educational leader with a solid focus on the individual needs of general and special education students. I am a leader and instructor who is flexible and accommodating in the design and implementation of inspiring hands-on lessons. I am highly skilled in data procurement, creation and management of student databases, team training and teacher management. In the past, I have worked as a trained liaison with key stakeholders including behavioral specialists, related service providers, government agencies and medical professionals. I am skilled in addressing student needs, ensuring children will thrive and develop in an adaptable educational atmosphere. My demeanor creates a warm yet firm behavioral management techniques, along with excellent interpersonal and communication skills which aid in developing an excellent rapport with all members of the school community.

Willing to relocate to: Dubai

Work Experience

Head of SEN Department 
Dubai International Schools - Dubai, UAE September 2019 to Present

• Developed innovative special education/gifted and talented policies and procedures in compliance with KHDA Inclusion policy
• Led a special education team of 5 teachers and created a professional development plan through online and in-person sessions

Special Education Needs (SEN) Coordinator/English and Math Instructor 
Dubai International Schools - Dubai, UAE October 2018 to September 2019

• Updated and improved the format of the IEPs of 40 students to reflect their progress and present level of performance
• Promoted English language development and acquisition through multimodal approaches

Secondary Biology Instructor 
Maple Leaf Educational Systems - Xianyang, China August 2018 to October 2018

• Created biology and general science lesson plans with a strong ESL structure based on the new BC curriculum
• Promoted language development through science vocabulary, phrases and group projects

Special Education Coordinator/Literacy Specialist 
Citizens of the World Charter School - Brooklyn, NY August 2017 to June 2018

• Co-managed a team of 5 Special Education teachers who met weekly to review the behavioral and academic needs of students with disabilities in the classroom
• Reviewed Individualized Education Plans (IEP) for content and required data which results in 90% of IEPs in compliance

Special Education Coordinator/Math Instructor 
Uncommon Schools - Brooklyn, NY August 2015 to August 2017

• Interviewed and hired related service professionals, providing onboarding, training, schedule creation and maintenance; facilitated collaboration between families, teachers, students and CSE
• Created and streamlined data collection regarding student performance and goal completion via Google forms, created and maintained IEP database, trained special education teachers on IEP writing and SESIS

Special Education Teacher/Math and English Instructor 
Harlem Village Academies - New York, NY August 2013 to August 2015

• Integrated technology into the curriculum through use of interactive and educational websites and Power Point presentations to enhance student learning and address the needs of various learners.
• Scaffolded the New York State math and writing curriculum by integrating student's IEP goals ensuring exposure of material to all students.

Master Teacher/Head of English Department/IEP Coordinator/Mentor/Special Education English Teacher
MS 22 - Jordan L. Mott Middle School - Bronx, NY September 2011 to June 2013

September 2011 - June 2013 Master Teacher/Head of English Department/IEP Coordinator/Mentor/Special Education English Teacher

• Mentored three new teachers, using in-class observations and the Danielson framework to help improve teaching pedagogy
• Developed and implemented two phases of the Early Morning Academic Program (EMAP) designed to improve student's non-fiction reading comprehension

GED/ESL Teacher 
Office of Adult and Continuing Education - Brooklyn, NY September 2010 to September 2012

• Maintained documentation on students to identify social areas of need and matched students with social services in the community.
• Provided supplemental in-class and cooperative ESL/GED support to learners, developing and implementing diverse curriculum to effectively meet the needs of each student's learning style and ability.

Special Education Teacher - all subjects 
K036 - The Nathanael Greene School - Brooklyn, NY August 2007 to June 2011

• Collaborated with and trained teachers on modifications and accommodations to instruction and materials ensuring the diverse needs of every student are successfully realized. Supervised and trained a team of paraprofessionals.
• Integrated technology into the curriculum through use of interactive and educational websites and Power Point presentations to enhance student learning and address the needs of various learners.

Education

• Post Masters Certificate in Educational Leadership in Educational Leadership
• Stonybrook University - Stony Brook, NY December 2019 to Present
• TEFL Certificate in Teaching English as Foreign Language
• University of Toronto - Toronto, ON March 2018 to March 2019
• Master of Science in Teaching in General and Special Education
• Pace University - New York, NY May 2010
• Bachelor of Arts
• Stonybrook University - Stony Brook, NY December 2005

Skills

Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications (10+ years), Teacher Trainer and Mentor (10+ years)

Certifications And Licenses

• New York State Professional Teaching License
• September 2009 to Present