• Responsible for developing and monitoring accommodations for elementary students with special needs participating in the summer recreation inclusion program
• Conducted site visits and evaluations of inclusion facilities and staff
• Contacted parents regarding the accommodation needs of their children
• Provided hands-on intervention and staff training for children exhibiting challenging behaviors during the course of the program

Tutor, October 2001-May 2002
Mathew Whaley Elementary School, Williamsburg, VA
America Reads Project

• Taught reading strategies to second grade students at-risk for reading problems

Special Education Teacher, August 1999-July 2001
Beville Middle School, Woodbridge, VA
Prince William County Schools, VA

• Special education teacher in self-contained classroom for students with autism
• Responsible for academic, social, and community-based instruction of students
• Member of multi-disciplinary planning team for student assessment and instruction 
• Managed budget for autism department
• Special education department secretary

Substitute Teacher, January 1998-August 1999
Westfield’s Play and Learn Children’s Center, Chantilly VA

• Substitute teacher for accredited early childhood center
• Assisted with teaching age-appropriate curriculum and activities
  

Research Assistant, January 1999-May 1999
Cognitive Developmental Laboratory, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

• Volunteer research assistant on project dealing with the development of attentionin children aged 5 to 21
• Trained in behavioral observation of attention, as well as in administration of the Gordon, Stroop, and Enns attention measurement tasks

Research Assistant, April 1998-May 1999
Physiological Psychology Laboratory, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

• Lead research assistant on grant-funded project dealing with the effects on zinc on learning and memory
•  Responsible for literature review, data analysis, and reports of findings

Intramural Research Training Award, May 1998-August 1998
Laboratory of Human Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse,
National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD

•  Summer research fellow on project dealing with the genetic basis of mental disorders
• Performed molecular biological techniques including, Polymerase Chain Reaction, HPLC, and genotyping
•  Responsible for literature review and data collection

Cognitive Retrainer, July 1997-September 1997
Learning Services Inc., Manassas, VA

•  Implemented treatment plans to rehabilitate the cognitive functioning of clients with traumatic brain injury
•  Developed strategies to assist clients with daily life activities

Life Skills Trainer, May 1997-January 1998
Learning Services Inc., Manassas, VA

• Assisted with daily living activities of clients with traumatic brain injury
• Licensed and responsible for medication administration
• Organized community-based activities for clients

Biological Science Technician, October 1996-May 1997
United States Department of Agriculture
Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, WV

• Lead technician on molecular biology and genetics project dealing with genetically altered fruit
• Responsible for literature review, project development, and recording and reporting data

Biological Science Aide, May 1994-October 1996
United States Department of Agriculture
Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, WV

• Responsible for plant cell tissue culture, data collection, entomological assays, and lab maintenance

Honors and Memberships:

NASA Space Grant Fellowship, NIH Intramural Research Training Award, Psychology Student of the Year, Psi Chi- Psychology National Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Iota-International Women’s Music Fraternity, Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, School of Education Award for Excellence-The College of William and Mary, Kappa Delta Pi- International Honor Society in Education, The College of William and Mary-School of Education Honor Council, National Association of School Psychologists, American Educational Research Association, National Reading Conference

Posters and Presentations:

Brightwell, J., Magaha, J., Flinn, J., & Jones, B.  (1999).  Increased levels of zinc adversely affect spatial learning in rats.  Poster  presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference, Providence, RI, April 1999.

Brightwell, J., Magaha, J., Flinn, J., Chandhoke, V., & Jones, B.  (1999).  Enhanced levels of zinc carbonate but not zinc sulfate in drinking water adversely affect spatial learning in rats.  Poster presented at the Society for Neuroscience Conference, Miami Beach, FL, October 1999.

Lehman, E.B., Srokowski, S., Nolte, C.A., Ryan, C.M., Hall, L., Magaha, J., & Thompson, D.  (2000).
Sustained Attention in elementary school children:  Behavioral observations and continuous performance measures. Poster presented at the Conference on Human Development, Memphis, TN, April 2000.

Magaha, J.  (2002).  Counseling techniques for building the social skills of students with Asperger’s Syndrome.  Presentation presented at the Virginia Counseling Graduate Student Conference, Williamsburg, VA, February 2002.

Magaha, J. & Burkhalter, P.  (2003).  Techniques for using the arts in adolescent group therapy.  Presentation presented at  theVirginia Counseling Graduate Student Conference, Williamsburg, VA, February 2003.

Samaras, A., Adams-Legge, M., Breslin, D., Mittapalli,K., O'Looney, J.M., & Wilcox, D.R. (2006).  Emerging zones through alternative pedagogies: Collectively studying the intersections of self, research, and practice.    Presentation  presented at the the 7th International L. S. Vygotsky Memorial Conference on Cultural-Historical Theory: Prospects of Development. Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow.

Samaras, A., Adams-Legge, M., Breslin, D., Mittapalli, K., O'Looney, J.M., & Wilcox, D.R. (2007).  Building a plane while flying it:  Course portfolio of teaching the self-study methodology.  Paper presented at the American Educational Research Asssociation 2007 Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 2007.

Samaras, A., Adams-Legge, M., Breslin, D., Mittapalli, K., O'Looney, J.M., & Wilcox, D.R.  (2007).  But what's it look like? Developing self-study exemplars in a research class.  Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association 2007 Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 2007.

Breslin, D., Mittapalli, K., Samaras, A. P., Adams-Legge, M., Infranco, J., Johri, A. K., Mcilwain, M. J., Magaha O'Looney, J., Pearson, B., Pratt, T., & Wilcox, D. R. (2008). Embarking on an adventure while drawing the map: Journeys through critical friend work in self-study methodology. Paper presented at the Seventh International Conference on the Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices, Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, England, August 2008.

Pratt-Fartro, T.,  McIlwain,M., & O'Looney, J.  (2008).  Huey's Relevancy One Hundred Years Later: Multiple Perspectives of Literacy Research and Practice.  Study session to be led at the National Reading Conference Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, December 2008.

Publications:

Flinn, J., Morvan, J., Magaha, J., & Krause, L.  (2000).  Enhanced levels of zinc in drinking water adversely affect spatial learning in rats.  Metal Ions in Biology and Medicine.  6:450-453.

Samaras, A., Adams-Legge, M., Breslin, D., Mittapalli, K., O'Looney, J.M., & Wilcox, D. R. (2007).  Building a plane while flying it :  Reflections of teaching and learning self study.  Reflective Practice, 8, 467-481.

Breslin, D., Mittapalli, K., Samaras, A. P., Adams-Legge, M., Infranco, J., Johri, A. K., Mcilwain, M. J., Magaha O'Looney, J., Pearson, B., Pratt, T., & Wilcox, D. R. (2008). Embarking on an adventure while drawing the map: Journeys through critical friend work in self-study methodology. In M. Heston, D. Tidwell, K. East, & L. M. Fitzgerald (Eds.), Pathways to change in teacher education: Dialogue, diversity and self-study. Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on the Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices, Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, England (pp. 31-35). Cedar Falls, IA: University of Northern Iowa.

Samaras, A. P., Adams-Legge, M., Breslin, D., Mittapalli, K., Magaha O'Looney, J., & WilcoxD. R. (2008). Collective Creativity: A learning community of self-study scholars. In A. P. Samaras, A. R. Freese, C. Kosnik, & C. Beck (Eds.), Learning communities in practice (pp. 141-155). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer Press.

 

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