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About Me

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My name is Laura Modali. I am originally from Indonesia. After graduating college,  I worked as a high school physics teacher in the cities and rural places there before teaching mathematics and science in Sabah, Malaysia.  I moved to the USA in 2017 after spending three wonderful teaching years in Malaysia. Moving to a bigger country, I realized that it is necessary for me to learn the education culture and system in the USA, so I decided to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Science in Physics.

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I like an evening walk with my husband, going to church with him and our daughter and serving together in the worship band. 

In my free time, I enjoy gardening, cooking, reading, playing guitar and singing, and taking care of my dogs and bearded dragon. 

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My future plan is to further my education in a doctorate program and continue to serve humanity through education.

 

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Teaching Philosophy 

 

"Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil." C.S Lewis 

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I believe that morality (the ability to differentiate between evil and good) and knowledge come hand in hand, one is not more important than the other, because a highly knowledgeable person can not contribute well to society without good morality. And a moral person can not effectively contribute to society without knowledge. Therefore, it is important to me to teach about the values of morality and knowledge at the same time. 

As a science teacher, my goal is to build the future generation to use their knowledge in science with good intention and cause, not merely to prepare for one's future but also to equip one's everyday life, and to be a good steward of God's given nature. 

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Resume

Work
Experience

August 2022- December 2022

Mathematics, Science and Computer teacher

I taught pre-algebra 1 to 8th grade, Algebra 1 and Biology to 9th grade, and Typing/Computer to 6th grade at Candies Creek Academy, Charleston, TN.

August 2021-May 2022

STEM Laboratory teacher

I taught STEM to Kindergarten through 5th grades students (Approx. 600 students) at Waterville Community Elementary School, Cleveland, TN.

August 2020-May 2021

Title I Assistant 

I taught reading and math to 1st-5th grade students in small intervention groups.

Waterville Community Elementary School, Cleveland, TN.

May 2014- May 2017

Science and Math Teacher
(Abroad teacher)

I taught science and math to 7th-9th grade students and English and math to 3rd-5th grade. 

I managed the Community Learning Center of Terusan 2. 

Sabah, Malaysia.

Physics teacher (fellowship program)

January 2013-January 2014

A fellowship physics teaching program at Malang State High School, East Java, Indonesia. I taught physics to 10th grade students.

December  2011-December 2012 

Physics teacher

I taught physics to 10th-12th grade students in Elar High School, South East of Nusa, Indonesia.

April 2011 -July 2011

Instructor

I taught Thermodynamics to students in  mechanic program and Mathematical Medicine to students in nursing program at Da Vinci Polytechnic Papua, Sorong Indonesia.

July 2007-June 2008

Physics Teacher

I taught physics to 10th grade students at SMA Negeri 4 Manado, and to 10th-12th grade students at St. Laurentius High School, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Education

2025

Master of Science in Physics (M.S. Physics)

I am a part time student, studying M.S. in Physics with an emphasis in teaching at Texas A&M University-Commerce in Dallas, Texas.

2023

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)

I was a part time student, studied Master of Arts in Teaching at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. 

2010

Bachelor of Arts in Physics Education

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I was a full time student and studied Physics with an emphasis in teaching at Manado State University in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

 

To verify my international credential, visit the link below, World Education Service:

https://www.credly.com/badges/26b0f20a-f6e5-4290-82fc-3e39589bde1c/public_url

Skills
& Expertise

  • Adult and Pediatrics CPR/AED/First Aid certified by American Red Cross

  • Teaching Physics

  • Teaching General Sciences

  • Teaching STEM 

  • MS Office and Google workspace 

  • Web design

  • Video making and editing 

  • Native speaking in Manadonese language and Bahasa Indonesia

  • Fluently speaking English and Mala

  • Elementary speaking Japanese

RECENT ORGANIZATIONS, HONOR SOCIETIES, RECOGNITION, AND ACCOMPLIHMENTS 

  • International Honor Society in Education, Kappa Delta Pi, member since 2021. 

  • National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), member since 2020. 

  • Inspiring Teachers, a global education nonprofit program, fellow since 2021—I am leaving for international teaching fellowship in June 2024 to Africa (4 weeks professional development program).

  • An employee of Bradley County Schools who goes “Above and Beyond”. 

  • TVA Classroom grant recipient year 2021-2022. Project title: Building a Strong Future in the STEM Laboratory. $5,000.  

  • Bradley County Public Education Foundation recipient year 2021-2022. Project title: Future Strong with Hands-On! $5,000. 

  • Donor Choose, classroom grant recipient, school year 2021-2022. $600.

  • Shaw Inc. Community Grant, 10 Chromebooks, September 2022.

  • Pets In the Classroom grant, October 2022.

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