I possess many talents, both soft and hard skills. A lifelong learner, I am continually seeking to improve my abilities and learn new techniques and programs.
Soft Skills
Teamwork
No man is an island. Companies are made up of talents of diverse individuals working side-by-side. Supporting team members, no matter my role, is of key importance to make sure that projects go smoothly. Whether it be as an individual or in groups of any size, my organizational skills, quick communication, and friendly demeanor help me create camaraderie and success. I am happy following directions from leadership and do not seek unnecessary conflict or drama.
Professionalism
Your employees represent your company. Courteous, punctual, and dependable, I cross my T’s and dot my I’s. I am the person who reads the handbook rather than skimming it, who meets the dress code without fail, and who answers phone calls and emails in a friendly yet formal manner.
Flexibility
In this “new normal,” adaptability is key. Thankfully, as a substitute teacher, I mastered the ability to “go with the flow.” I have the ability to take new, sudden instructions with stride, to take control or fall back when unexpected situations arrive, and keep calm when the world is crumbling down.
Substituting meant more than being able to change classrooms, schedules, or curriculum unexpectedly. I’ve had students punch, kick, and even attempt to stab me with pencils. I’ve broken up fights, administered first aid to injured students, called emergency numbers, and evacuated classrooms. There’s nothing you can throw at me that I can’t handle.
Organization
Everything has its spot, physically and digitally. I keep paper trails, color-code folders, and take copious, detailed notes. Whether it be confidential paperwork or a stapler, I can find anything quickly with an organized system.
Communication
Modern technology requires instant communication, while companies need to present professional replies. I do both, replying quickly to phone calls, text messages, and emails in a courteous yet friendly manner.
Attention to Detail
As an artist, writer, and editor, I understand the importance of the small details. Being careful and thorough saves time and energy by preventing future mistakes or confusion. However, it is equally important to know how to avoid being bogged down by details, grinding everything to a halt. There must be a balance between high quality and efficiency, and I know how to find this sweet middle ground.
Continued Education
Learning does not stop after college. I am a strong proponent of continual improvement by constantly seeking new opportunities to master current skills and learn new abilities. Whether it be through LinkedIn Learning, literature, or classes, my strong curiosity pushes me towards advancing my knowledge and talents.
I am eager to learn new tasks and programs, and quickly become adept with hands-on practice.
Leadership
Although my teaching credential is for kindergarten through eighth grade, I am confident teaching and leading both children and adults. I am unafraid of public speaking, organizing others, and resolving conflict. Once given a task, I will lead a team of any size through clear communication and relegation of tasks to each person’s strengths.
Hard Skills
Writing and Editing
Advanced
I am a confident writer for both non-fiction and fiction, from website pages to reports to social media blurbs. If it involves the written word, I jump in confidently with two feet. My time in an international writing group consisting of published authors has honed my ability for critiquing and editing. My background in Latin has strengthened my vocabulary and grammar to a highly professional degree.
However, I refuse to let my abilities stagnate, and am currently taking weekly classes with David Farland, who has taught literary greats including #1 New York Times bestsellers Brandon Sanderson, James Dashner, Brandon Mull, and more.
My abilities as a writer, teacher, and website designer led to me to editing, rewriting, modernizing, and reformatting over 800+ webpages for Curiosity Untamed.
Adobe Photoshop
Intermediate to Advanced
I primarily use Photoshop to create digital illustrations, graphics, and photomanipulations. My artwork can be seen on the Portfolio page.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Beginner to Intermediate
Although I originally began with Avidemux, in recent months I have been creating weekly videos for my fine arts students through Adobe Premiere Pro. These videos can be found on the Art with Katie Cordy page.
WordPress
Intermediate
I have created both this website and my World of Elturas website, while also using my HTML knowledge to help reformat badges for Curiosity Untamed. If I do not know how to achieve my goal, I am an expert at finding plugins, coding, and other resources to find a solution.
Microsoft Word
Intermediate
I am capable of creating clean, eye-catching documents with Word’s many tools. Matched with my writing capabilities, Word is a powerful program.
Microsoft Excel
Beginner to Intermediate
Spreadsheets are my go-to when it comes to my personal budgeting. My abilities with Excel will quickly jump to intermediate to with the memorization of more formulas. I am confident of my ability to create organized, easy-to-read spreadsheets and graphs without the temptation of going overboard with Excel’s impressive options.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Intermediate to Advanced
Communication is key with PowerPoint. My experience in graphic design enables me to create clear, eye-catching presentations using commercial-use, royalty-free stock images and clipart. If the exact image, graph, or symbol doesn’t exist or is in the wrong format, Photoshop and my artistic talent help me create what I need.
Google Drive, Google Photos, Google Earth, and Other Products
Intermediate to Advanced
Google has made life easy with their free, accessible programs. Whether it be Project on Google Earth, managing dozens of shared folders on Google Drive, or creating modern documents or spreadsheets, Google products are second nature to me.
Scrivener
Intermediate to Advanced
I primarily use Scrivener for outlining and writing Name of the King and have poured countless hours into the finer points of this fantastic program.
Curriculum Writing
Intermediate
I am a curriculum consultant for Curiosity Untamed, helping to write new and adapt current program material for preschool through adult members. I also was the primary author of a Triad Project unit called The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars. Curriculum writing requires a strong grasp of workplace professionalism, accessible but formal writing, and knowledge of how diverse populations learn.
Teaching
Intermediate
As a teacher, I learned and mastered many skills, from managing complex reports, tracking online curriculum like I-Ready and Xtra Math, organizing and educating over thirty diverse students at a time in many subjects, and more. As a substitute teacher, I taught kindergarten through eighth grade, in both general and special education classrooms. I was a popular substitute because of my professional, adaptable manner, seeking only to provide children with the highest quality of education. For the last three years, I have taught elementary fine arts to over 600 1st-5th grade students in 27 classrooms, both on Zoom and in-person.