About the store
Hello TPT! If you teach Upperclassman English, this is your spot!
I’m an English teacher at a High School in Maple Valley, Washington, where I get to teach upperclassmen English and a bunch of fun electives. I’m a firm believer that English isn’t just for the word nerds—it's totally attainable and even enjoyable when teachers set high expectations and keep things consistent. Once students know what to expect, they can take on the trickiest concepts and skills without breaking a sweat. So, who says English can’t be both a challenge and a blast?
Career Stuff:
I graduated from the University of Washington with a Biology degree before continuing my education at Pacific Lutheran University, where I earned a K-12 English/Literacy degree with a focus on classroom management. My teaching career began with 10 years of middle school Honors science and English, during which I developed a passion for guiding students through their educational journeys. Afterward, I transitioned into a Literacy Coach TOSA role, where I spent four years supporting educators and fostering student literacy growth. Recently, I returned to the classroom, driven by my love for working with students. Now, I teach English 11, along with several upperclassman electives including SAT Prep, Advanced Composition English 405, Creative Writing, and Film as Literature in my new district, where I am excited to continue making an impact.
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SAT Prep: Greek & Latin Root 3-Day Wkshp I Collaboration/Discourse Work
In this engaging SAT prep challenge, students will unlock the power of Greek and Latin roots to boost their vocabulary and decode even the trickiest SAT words with confidence. Through interactive word dissections, etymology investigations, and competitive word challenges, students will develop a deep understanding of word origins and structures, making unfamiliar words easier to analyze and remember. What Students Will Do: Identify & analyze common Greek and Latin roots and affixes to uncove
9th - 12th, Higher Education
ELA Test Prep
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.3
, CCRA.L.4
+2
Create a Storyboard Project
In this project, students will apply key cinematic terms learned in Film as Literature to create an 8-10 panel storyboard illustrating a selected sequence from a film. Using terms such as shot composition, lighting, color, camera angles, and movement, students will visually break down the scene, capturing its tone and narrative impact. Each panel should include a brief description explaining the chosen shots and their effect on storytelling. This project encourages students to think like film
11th - 12th
English Language Arts
CCSS
CCRA.W.6
, CCRA.W.7
, CCRA.W.9
+2
SAT Prep:Mastering Sentence Structure & Precision I M.Choice Quiz + Answer Key
In this lesson, students will engage in a mock SAT experience designed to expose them to common question traps found on the SAT. They will complete a set of SAT-style questions, each embedded with intentional pitfalls that often lead test-takers astray. Immediately after, students will analyze answer justifications to determine why a particular response was correct and where their reasoning may have gone wrong. Through structured reflection, students will: ✅ Identify the types of traps th
9th - 12th, Higher Education
ELA Test Prep
Beyond the Stars: Exploring Humanity through Interstellar I Discourse Work
Exploring Key Themes in InterstellarIn this lesson, we will analyze the profound themes in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, including feeding a growing population, the implications of time travel, the nature of love, and the intersection of science and spirituality. Through guided group discussions and structured notes, students will explore how these themes shape the film’s narrative, characters, and larger philosophical questions.
11th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Literature, Other (Performing Arts), Speaking & Listening
CCSS
SL.11-12.1a
, SL.11-12.1b
, SL.11-12.1c
+3
The Reader's Gambit: Indirect Character Analysis Activity
Lesson Outcomes: ♟ Analyze how dialogue, action, and description work together to reveal character motivations and personality. ♟ Strategize their writing choices, using style and effect deliberately to shape characterization. ♟ Develop a well-rounded character by crafting interactions that reveal depth without excessive exposition. ♟ Create a visual representation (poster) that maps out how a character’s "moves" (dialogue, actions, and descriptions) influence the story. ♟ Reflect on how ef
10th - 12th, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Literature, Reading Strategies
CCSS
RL.11-12.3
, RL.11-12.5
, CCRA.R.1
+1
SAT Prep:Critical Reading w/Time Travelers Wife I M. Choice Quiz + Answer Key
In this lesson, students will read and analyze the first four chapters of The Time Traveler’s Wife, focusing on its non-linear narrative structure and complex character development. Through guided discussion and textual analysis, students will explore how events across different timelines intertwine, shaping themes of love, fate, and identity. Following the reading, students will take an SAT-style multiple-choice quiz, designed to assess their ability to: Infer and interpret meaning from
9th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
ELA Test Prep
CCSS
CCRA.L.3
, CCRA.L.4
, CCRA.L.5
+1
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About the store
Experience
Hello TPT! If you teach Upperclassman English, this is your spot!
I’m an English teacher at a High School in Maple Valley, Washington, where I get to teach upperclassmen English and a bunch of fun electives. I’m a firm believer that English isn’t just for the word nerds—it's totally attainable and even enjoyable when teachers set high expectations and keep things consistent. Once students know what to expect, they can take on the trickiest concepts and skills without breaking a sweat. So, who says English can’t be both a challenge and a blast?
Career Stuff:
I graduated from the University of Washington with a Biology degree before continuing my education at Pacific Lutheran University, where I earned a K-12 English/Literacy degree with a focus on classroom management. My teaching career began with 10 years of middle school Honors science and English, during which I developed a passion for guiding students through their educational journeys. Afterward, I transitioned into a Literacy Coach TOSA role, where I spent four years supporting educators and fostering student literacy growth. Recently, I returned to the classroom, driven by my love for working with students. Now, I teach English 11, along with several upperclassman electives including SAT Prep, Advanced Composition English 405, Creative Writing, and Film as Literature in my new district, where I am excited to continue making an impact.
Teaching style
I’m a firm believer in high expectations in the classroom—like that sweet spot between a gentle nudge and a full-on push that doesn’t send students into existential crisis mode. It’s all about finding that balance: pushing students to a place of cognitive struggle, but not to the point where they’re Googling “How to become a professional napper” halfway through class.
As a writing-focused teacher, I embrace transference—guiding students to critically engage with rubrics, assess work with a sharp eye, and ultimately push the quality of their own work to impressive new heights. It’s pretty satisfying to watch that growth unfold! I’m definitely not the keeper of the red pen (the horror!), but rather a facilitator of knowledge—like a well-curated museum of ideas, resources, and concepts. My classroom runs on consistent routines, because, as I like to say, "familiar tasks equal cerebral space"—so the brain can focus on the content instead of figuring out where to sit or when the bell rings. I’m thrilled to share some of my lessons on TpT, showcasing how high expectations, when delivered with care, lead to real student growth and how we can unapologetically craft a rigorously challenging classroom environment our students can thrive in without fear.
Awards & shining teacher moments
I’ve had the privilege to work with so many incredible people and create memorable moments for students in their learning environments. I was honored to receive "Best Teacher" in 2010 and 2011, and runner-up for 2012 and 2013 for Best in Kent (my hometown), which was a humbling recognition. But ultimately, the awards and accolades that mean the most to me are the quiet ones—the small milestones that only I get to witness. Those little breakthroughs, the “aha” moments, and the growth I see in students every day are what truly make my job so incredibly rewarding and, honestly, just plain cool!
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