HELLO THERE! I'M SHELBY TAYLOR BACCALA.
I am a graduate student at National University. I am working on my Master's of Arts in Education and Multiple Subject Teaching credential. I received my Bachelor's of Arts in Liberal Studies at Chico State University in December of 2018. I look forward to becoming an elementary school teacher and hope to one day become an administrator.
"To teach is to learn twice over."
Joseph Joubert
My Philosophy
I believe in a discovery based learning. I have found that oftentimes people just want the answer; "tell me what to do," "I do not know how," or "I cannot do it." They may not have done it before or they may be uncomfortable with failure but they can do it. Failure is exactly how we learn. I, personally, hardly ever learn from success but when I fail, I learn amazing things. Helping children become comfortable with the idea of failure as a positive and confident in their abilities and ideas is a huge job as a teacher. Open ended projects that are developmentally appropriate teach children much more than a workbook page.
My Projects
To provide a tangible showcase of my work, I’ve included a portfolio of my most recent projects. Take a moment to explore below, and reach out if you’re interested in learning more about what I have to offer.
Tehama Lady Bulldogs, Inc.
Tehama Lady Bulldogs, Inc. is a non-profit organization to provide the opportunities for girls from all backgrounds to be able to play competitive softball without the financial burden these types of organizations typically place on families. The goal of my program is to be able to take these girls to camps and college showcases as well as on tours of college campuses. The organization would like to provide college exposure and workshops to these girls.
Writing Workshops
Writing workshops are a set amount of time that students are provided with to create books. This idea is presented by Katie Ray Wood and Lisa B. Cleaveland in their book, About the Authors.
Why use it?
Encouraging children to write as much as possible about things they are interested in fosters a love for writing. Students are introduced to mentor texts that they then embody in their own writings. Who doesn't love the idea of making a book? A few pages stapled together and you've got yourself an author.
How to use it?
Writing workshops are usually began with a mini lesson from a unit of study. If our unit of study is finding mentor authors, our mini lesson may be a presentation of a variety of books and a discussion about each authors' style. Children would then be encouraged to attempt this style in their own writing.
Work Experience
Teacher, Northern California Child Development, Inc.
September 2018Â - Present
I work with children from 3 years old to 5 years old from all backgrounds. I create relationships with families to provide them resources and safe place to trust with their children. I work to prepare students for kindergarten by meeting Kindergarten readiness standards and Head Start standards. I am a certified CLASS observer and participate in regular professional development meetings.
Regional Junior Giants Ambassador, San Francisco Giants Community Fund
May 2017- Present
I work as a point of reference between the Giants Community Fund and league ambassadors. I work with a coordinator, eight league ambassadors, and their commissioners to recruit new players, retain players throughout the season and into the next season, and ensure the Junior Giants program is running as intended. There are eight weeks with a different theme: welcome, health, education, confidence, integrity, teamwork,  leadership, and bullying prevention. There are also running programs throughout the season that I oversee, such as Read Around the Bases. I assist league ambassadors in creating league goals for the season and help them meet them by league visits and weekly check in calls.
School Age Teacher, Little Discoveries Preschool
August 2017 - June 2018
I worked with children from TK through the 5th grade after school. I designed a developmentally appropriate and relevant curriculum based on a monthly theme. Every day my class engaged in outside play, homework and silent reading time, and a math, science, language arts, or arts activity.
Camp Counselor, Engineering Possibilities in College
May 2016 - August 2016
I worked with children from 6th grade through 12th grade over the summer to show them different forms and variations of engineering. I also showed them Cal Poly's campus through hikes, games, and activities. Each group had a different week long project that we worked to develop.
Educational Experience
National University
March 2019 - October 2020
I am a Master's of Arts in Education and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential student. I hope to teach anywhere between TK and 3rd grade when I graduate.
California State University, Chico
I received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in STEM on December 31st, 2018
2018
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
I took a variety of math, science and engineering courses in pursuit of biomedical engineering. I realized I had a passion for working with children and transfer to Chico State to pursue liberal studies.
2015-2017
Online Resources
Links to resources for families will go here in the future.
Let's Connect
I love what I do and I’d love to share it with you. Send me a message and I’ll get back to you ASAP.