My Teaching Experience

I taught 7th grade English for ten years plus one year of reading for 7th and 8th graders. I left teaching to care for a new granddaughter and an elderly father, but I'm still interested in sharing the creative process of basic, yet fresh and flexible classroom activites.

My Teaching Style

I found many 7th and 8th graders were almost to the point of "burnout" with the traditional methods and types of classroom activities. Being fairly traditional myself, it took some time before I could relax and realize this transition period need not be as demanding as what lay behind or what students were about to encounter in high school. Rather I began to offer quick writing (less formal) assignments that make frequent practice for standardized tests more palatable. I tried to find activities that were structured (so important for this age group), yet offering some "real world" connection.

Honors/Awards/Shining Teaching Moment

During my eleven years of teaching I coached many students in writing and speaking competitions. My 7th grade English class produced many county winners (also one state winner and a state runner-up) of the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest. Three of my student council members won local Optimist Oratorical Contests in addition to our student council receiving state honor council status for three years. My last year of teaching was spent creating a new reading curriculum for 7th and 8th graders with virtually no budget and limited resources. I was quite proud of simply making it through the year with so few resources, yet filling the year with viable plans that caused students, parents, and even some colleagues to look anew at reading in the middle school and across all content areas. When I occasionally meet former students or parents around the community, I am greeted with smiles and recognition. I choose to believe this kind of greeting is the result of pleasant memories of their previous experience with me!

MY FEATURED PRODUCTS

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