Darrah Oflaherty

About Darrah Oflaherty

As an experienced educator, I have a strong passion for teaching and facilitating meaningful learning experiences for students. Over the years, I have had the privilege of teaching students in a variety of settings and age groups including Kindergarten and all grades 3rd through 8th. In each of these roles, I have been committed to fostering a love of learning and supporting students in reaching their full potential. Throughout my career, I have developed a deep understanding of how to create engaging and effective lesson plans that address the needs of diverse learners. I have extensive experience in planning and implementing core curriculums such as Math in Focus, Lucy Caulkins Writing Workshop, Journeys, and Explode the Code, among others, but have also independently planned my own IB units and curricula. I am able to competently drive the progress of my students through these units using data-driven records to implement scaffolded supports and intentional behavioral support. I recently found this excerpt from a letter I wrote to myself as a brand new teacher just embarking on my master\'s degree studies, and have included it as way of explanation of my pedagogical values.\"I hope I let myself feel tired, excited, devastated, victorious, withered and nervous all at once as I currently feel in this coffee shop. I hope I will remember to celebrate adversity. To reward good behavior more than I punish the bad. To listen, to help, and to listen again. To remember that my students will give me what I give them when it comes to energy, dedication and everything in between. I hope I will wake up every day with a fresh disposition. To always try to dispel yesterday’s frustrations and minor annoyances, and to not let them affect my teaching. To remember that students with behavioral needs aren’t bad kids, but the kids with the most unmet needs. I hope I encourage often and without restraint. I hope I remember to be patient with parents, especially the overbearing ones, as they want the best for their children, much like I do. I hope my future self will never try to fit a student into another student’s mold. To get to know each pupil on an individual level – their learning styles, ticks, hopes and dreams, and to apply as much effort as is needed to cater to those individualities. Mostly, I hope my future self remembers that school is so much more than just school – that it builds habits, motivators and passions, and that I never take such responsibilities lightly. School builds people, and I’m lucky to be a single step along that path.\"

Experience

1. 7th and 8th Grade Humanities Teacher

   Mackintosh Academy

   Jun 2022 — Present · Littleton, CO, US

Education

• Regis University

  Master's degree

  2019 — 2021

• Elon University

  Bachelor's Degree

  2013 — 2017