About Me

     I am in my 21st year of teaching and I LOVE it! I really enjoy the conversations, energy, and humor that I experience each day with my students.  I started my teaching career as an Art teacher, then moved to Science, and am now happily teaching English.  I have taught students of all ages over the years and find that I enjoy highschool aged students the most. 

     My classroom is as self-directed as I can make it, as I find the more freedom to explore and question, the better the learning.  I consider myself to be more of a facilitator of learning than a teacher at this stage of their education.  Being an instructor of older students allows me to help them fine-tune the skills they already possess and offer an additional perspective on real-world scenarios in which they navigate from day to day. 

     I am a dabbler, a "Jane-of-All-Master-of-None".  My goal is to be the ultimate Renaissance woman by the end of my lifetime.  With that in mind, I explore and learn all I can.  The more I know, the more ways I can help others.  I share this mindset with my students in the hopes that they too will want to explore, grow, and share.  

     My Expectations

     The expectation I have for my students is that they will always do their best.  Yes, our best can be different from day to day depending on other circumstances, but one can always do his or her best.  I expect students to be present both physically and mentally.  I have allowed the use of cell phones for instrumental music while they are working.  The expectation is that they will not be playing on their phones, or on social media.  Can I prevent that from happening?  No.  I reiterate the expectation but it is on them to follow through.  They are expected to do academic work for the whole class.  I expect that students will be kind to each member of the class, regardless.  Oftentimes, student viewpoints will be different based on culture, experience, upbringing, etc... and the expectation is that this will be a safe place for every person to share and discuss. It truly is a gift to get a glimpse into someone else's life via their stories, opinions, etc... Always be kind and listen.  I expect that students will be actively engaged in their academic learning from bell to bell each day.  Students have the opportunity to work on other class' work, draw, or read after they have finished the assignment and are expected to do so rather than disturb others who are still working.  I expect the volume level will be quiet, similar to a library because this is a reading and writing course and people need to concentrate.  Students may choose where they sit until their choice becomes problematic then, it's my choice.  Seating charts are currently in use for COVID Close-Contact tracking.

We have a ton of work to do this year and we are going to have fun doing it while stretching ourselves to be better than the day before.  Parents and Guardians, thank you for your support! :-)