Pam Knittel

ESL District Coach | Poughkeepsie, NY

Pam Knittel is the ESL District Coach in the Poughkeepsie City School District and served as the primary facilitator for our Common Core and ELLs project.

In this interview with Colorín Colorado, Pam discusses the professional development that the teachers received throughout the project and how the lesson planning process evolved, as well as the other professional development initiatives she has spearheaded in the district.

Biography

Pam Knittel has been the ESL District Coach in the Poughkeepsie City School District for the past 6 years. In that role, she works with one Pre-K/Kindergarten school, four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. She also collaborates with administrators, building literacy coaches, and teachers to provide information and clarification on regulations and data to drive ESL program development; coordinates program and testing administration for ELLs; and delivers professional development for teachers of ELLs (ESL and mainstream/content area teachers).

Pam has had the opportunity to present on different topics related to second language learning at Vassar College, Marist College, SUNY New Paltz, and at the NYSTESOL conferences. In addition, she presented the Common Core and ELLs project at the International TESOL conference in Portland 2014.

Prior to being a District ESL Coach, Pam taught elementary K-5 ESL in four elementary schools in the Poughkeepsie City School District. Pam received her B.A in German, M.S. in TESOL, and her post-masters certificate in Humanistic and Multicultural Education through SUNY New Paltz, in New Paltz, NY. She plans to pursue her educational administrative degree starting in the Fall of 2014.