Katherine Willcox

Katherine Willcox Curriculum Vitae Education- Doctoral Coursework, Comparative Literature, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Took world literature and education doctoral classes as part of a PhD program in Comparative Literature with focus on English and Spanish Literature. Also taught Spanish as Graduate Teaching Assistant. 2010 MA, Spanish Literature, University of Virginia, GPA 3.68 Successfully completed required Spanish literature, language and theory graduate courses and reading list, passed master’s qualifying written and oral exams, and wrote a master’s thesis. Completed Education course and taught beginner and intermediate Spanish as Graduate Teaching Assistant. Thesis: "A Discourse of Power: The Alternate Patriarchy in Arboleda de los Enfermos by Teresa de Cartagena" 2008 BA, Comparative Literature and Spanish (double major) with distinction, University of Virginia, GPA 3.77 Studied English and Spanish Literature in the original languages and German, Russian and French Literature in translation. Also took philosophy, math and science courses. Other Education/Certifications Fall 2016 Learner Autonomy, Oxford Training Program, Izmir, TR June 2016 C1 Level Turkish Language Certificate, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, TR Spring 2015 English for Specific Purposes, Oxford Training Program, Izmir, TR Fall 2011 Turkish Language Course, Ankara University TÖMER, Istanbul, TR Spring 2011 Turkish Language Course, Medikasev Language School, Istanbul, TR Sep 2010 TESOL Certificate, LinguaEdge, CA Certificate of "Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages" Work Experience Spring 2015-Present English Instructor, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, TR Taught English Reading and Technical Writing university classes. Developed course booklets, curriculum, lesson plans, and assessments for university level English Reading and Writing courses (ENG 101, 102 and 201) and Technical Writing for Chemists (CHM 111 and 112), with focus on career-oriented research, writing and speaking. 2008-Current English Editor Edited university professors’ academic papers for publication in scientific journals of various disciplines, including Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, and Education. Edited a dentistry book (Cementation by Prof. Deniz Sen, published by Quintessence Books). Edited resumes, web sites, and short stories. 2009-Current Spanish Translator Translated technical and commercial documents from Spanish to English for TAV Airports, Istanbul. Translated philosophy articles from Spanish to English for Prof. Jorge Secada, UVA. Translated short stories from Spanish to English for Prof. Ariel Gomez, UVA. 2017 Content Editor, Wingie.com, Istanbul, TR Edited English and Spanish website and e-mail content for Wingie.com, an English travel search engine created by the owners of the popular Turkish version, Enuygun.com. 2014 Spanish Instructor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Taught Spanish for High Beginners (Span 105), an accelerated beginner Spanish learning course, to university students with previous study of Spanish. Incorporated authentic Spanish Language material into the classroom to create engaging lessons involving all four skill sets. - English Instructor, Üsküdar University, Istanbul, TR Taught English language, research skills and academic writing to university students. Developed curriculum, lesson plans and assessments for Academic English course. - English Instructor, American Cultural Association Language Schools, Istanbul, TR Taught English as a Second Language to teenagers (in middle school and high school) and adults. - Teacher of English Literature, Doğuş Schools, Istanbul, TR Taught English Literature and English as a Second Language to middle school students aged 10 to 14. Created original lesson plans and exams based on abridged works of literature. - Administrative Assistant for Spanish Study Abroad Program, The University of Virginia Program in Peru Helped run the University of Virginia Program in Peru, a study abroad program founded by Prof. Jorge Secada, the Chair of the Philosophy Department. At UVA, recruited interested students, published advertisements, held information sessions, handled paperwork, organized flights to Peru, and managed social media. In Peru, published a weekly program newsletter, planned cultural activities and classes, aided students with academic, emotional, and medical issues, chaperoned and provided relevant Spanish texts for trips and classes in the Andes and jungle. Taught Spanish Language classes at the Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya. - Spanish Instructor, University of Virginia Taught Lower-Intermediate Spanish (Span 2010) and Upper-Intermediate Spanish (Span 2020) at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Taught Beginner Spanish (Span 1060), Intermediate Spanish (Span 2010) and Upper-Intermediate Spanish (Span 2020) for the University of Virginia Study Abroad Program in Peru at the Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya. 2008 Assessor of Spanish Language Speaking Abilities, Phonological Awareness Literary Screening (PALS), Charlottesville, VA Administered written and oral interactive tests to elementary school Hispanic children in order to help identify students at risk for potential reading difficulties. 2008 Tutor, Huntington Learning Center, Charlottesville, VA Tutored English grammar, reading, and mathematics to students aged six to sixteen. Summers of 2004, 2005, 2006 Residential Instructor, Oakland School, Keswick, VA Taught classes in science, art, archery, soccer, and other sports at Oakland School, a boarding school for bright children with learning disabilities aged eight to sixteen. Also boarded with students, helped set academic and personal goals, oversaw morning, afternoon, and evening routines, and aided students with physical and emotional issues. Books and Short Stories 2016-… Headless Hand, Novel, English, in process The tale of a headless girl, from the point of view of her head. The nonexistent head of headless Hand suffers an existential crisis that launches her family on a journey. When they stop at a teahouse, a string of heads and bodies enter and exit and occasionally get swallowed by Wun the head, Hand’s massive twin, weaving a web of absurd tales. Will the paradox of Headless Hand’s head ever be resolved? Does the answer exist beyond this inescapable mad teahouse? Or is it tangled up at the very center? 2013-… Finnegan and Fedallah, Children’s Novella, English, final editing An eye-steeling doll tells a misfit boy that he’s the dream of a dog. A surreal twist on Pinocchio. On an isolated island, the legend of the ferocious Karakan tells of a shadowy creature that steels the light from children’s eyes and tosses their empty bodies to the ravenous waves. When Finnegan the lonely misfit awakes one night to find that all his neighbors have turned into floating fish, he’s sure the mysterious Karakan is to blame. The boy confronts the fiend, only to discover that she’s a porcelain doll. His encounter with her causes more problems than it solves when the Karakan tells Finnegan that he’s the dream of a dog. Will she help make him real, or artfully lead him to the edge of unreality and chaos? 2008 Owl and the Mole, Short Story, Spanish and English, published on University of Virginia News [https://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-students-study-creative-writing-top-latin-american-and-spanish-authors]. A dark fable of repressed carnivorous instincts. The mole can’t see, and the owl can’t burrow beneath the ground. In order to catch the sneaky mice, they combine their bodies into one. The result conveniently resembles a mouse, but also lacks all memory of its past predatory lives. The new creature joins the mouse commune, thinking itself one of them. But when unconscious predatory instincts surface, it begins to eat its closest friends and family, without knowing why. Awards and Honors 2013 Graduate Program Tuition and Spanish Teaching Salary for Comparative Literature (Spanish and English) PhD, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (tuition plus $16,- Summer Language Study Award, University of Virginia ($2,000) Granted to perfect spoken Spanish abroad. 2009 Graduate Program Tuition and Spanish Teaching Salary for Spanish Literature PhD, University of Virginia (tuition plus $15,- Whitehead Scholarship, Jefferson Scholars Foundation ($8,500) A merit-based grant for the- academic year, presented in recognition of potential for contribution to the University community. Granted upon entry to the University of Virginia Master’s Program in Spanish Literature. 2008 Fellowship for Master’s in Spanish Literature, University of Virginia, ($10,500) A merit-based School Fellowship Stipend awarded for the- school year, presented in recognition of potential for academic excellence upon entry to the University of Virginia Master’s Program in Spanish Literature. 2008 Grant for Research Seminar in Argentina, University of Virginia, ($2,500) Awarded to one undergraduate student for excellence in creative writing during a Spanish Creative Writing Seminar at the University of Virginia, taught by award-winning journalist and author Rosa Montero and novelist Mempo Giardinelli. Grant awarded to attend a literary seminar in Argentina taught by published Argentinean writers, including Luisa Valenzuela, Mempo Giardinelli, and Ana Maria Shua. 2004 Outstanding achievement in English, Monticello High School Granted to one graduating senior for exceptional academic achievement in English Grammar and Literature over four years of high school. Languages English Native Language Spanish Fluent Turkish Advanced References Alison Weber, Professor Spanish Department University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA, USA 22904-Rosa Montero, Award-winning journalist of El País newspaper, bestselling author Madrid, Spain - David Gies, Professor Spanish Department University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA, USA 22904 - Jorge Secada, Professor Philosophy Department University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA, USA 22904 -