I am a secondary education English teacher currently living in Alexandria, Virginia. I earned my B.A. from the University of Michigan and began a career as a newspaper reporter shortly after graduation, working first as a sports journalist for the Chicago Tribune. I returned to school and obtained my Master's Degree in Journalism from Northwestern University before working as a political reporter for several years. I covered Capitol Hill as well as local governments in Indiana and Illinois.
After moving to Virginia in 2008, I decided to pursue my long-term goal of becoming a teacher. I returned to school once again and earned a Master's of Education from George Mason University. I remain actively involved in many written and literary activities outside of teaching; I am currently working on a novel and recently completed an international English Literature summer program at Oxford University to further expand my content area expertise.
About My Teaching
Although every teacher has his or her own personal "style," I believe that at the core of every good educator is someone who teaches from the heart. Truly good educators love their jobs and recognize the vast amount of influence they have on the students they instruct. Teachers are trusted to help today's children grow - academically, socially, and personally. To accomplish these goals - and to be an effective and inspiring English teacher - my fundamental teaching values are: creative instruction, motivating environments, and professional collaboration.
- My creative style of instruction promotes student engagement by providing students with personal relevance and connection to the materials. I have an extremely student-centered approach to lesson planning that always considers learning styles, higher-order thinking, differentiation and avenues toward motivation and engagement.
- I foster a classroom environment that is positive and motivating, built on respect and responsibility. It is critical for students to feel safe expressing their ideas and concerns in the classroom. Divergent thinking, mutual respect and positive feedback are essential components of my classroom management strategy. Additionally, I pride myself on the positive attitude and smile I bring to the classroom.
- Professional collaboration is an important way to continue growing as a teacher and to become an active contributor to the education community. This ranges from CT and PLC participation to researching best practice strategies to implement in my classroom and share with colleagues.