For the past ten years, I have taught a gifted ELA block for sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students. Before that, I was the Education Director at a hands-on science center, taught middle school science, and taught fifth grade "everything but PE!" I even spent one year as a doctoral assistant teaching at the university level, but quickly decided that adolescents are my favorites.
My goal is to help my gifted middle school students become lifelong learners and problem-solvers, so I am working more and more toward forging a partnership with them in which they share responsibility for their learning. I love to provide students with challenging, open-ended, thought-provoking situations and to see their thinking just blossom.
2010 LA Regional Middle School Teacher of the Year
B.A. in Elementary Education M.Ed. in Educational Technology +30 in Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership
I live with my husband, who teaches high school history, and my teenage daughter, who aspires to be a math teacher. We also have three sons in college. When I am not teaching school or preparing lessons, I love to travel and to spend time outdoors camping or gardening.
5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, Not Grade Specific
English Language Arts, Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary, Specialty, Social Studies - History, Civics, Government, U.S. History, Arts & Music, Visual Arts, Gifted and Talented, For All Subject Areas, Literature, Classroom Management, Character Education, Library Skills, Writing, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Poetry, Autumn, Halloween, Winter, The New Year, Valentine's Day, Black History Month, Spring, Tools for Common Core, For All Subjects, Summer, Informational Text, Handwriting, End of Year, Close Reading, Classroom Community