I've been teaching for 27 years, and I love it even more now than when I started. I think you have to establish a positive relationship with a student first. Only then can you begin to ask for their trust and attention.
I use laughter and love to nurture the soul, and know that a thought provoking question is worth so much more than an answer. I often combine project based learning with intense literary analysis. My students get up out of their chairs, move, discuss, plan, revise, and create. I'm a visual learner, so I enjoy incorporating visual elements into my lessons. I try to appeal to the "whole" student. Good lessons should be engaging. When they say, "Is class over already?" I know that they enjoyed themselves while they were learning.
Teacher of the Year 2001, StarNews Media Living Local Teacher Education Grant 2010, ATMC Smart Connections Grant Winner 2011,Bright Ideas Grant Winner 2012.
BA in English, BA in Anthropology, ELA Certification 9-12
I've been married to my husband for 27 years and we have two beautiful children: 24 and 18.
3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, Higher Education, Adult Education, Homeschool, Staff, Not Grade Specific
English Language Arts, Balanced Literacy, Creative Writing, Writing-Expository, Reading, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary, Specialty, Science, Earth Sciences, Social Studies, Government, U.S. History, European History, World History, Arts & Music, Art History, Visual Arts, Graphic Arts, Drama, ESL-EFL-ELL, Health, ELA Test Prep, Other (ELA), For All Subjects, Literature, Instructional Technology, Short Stories, Writing, Reading Strategies, Writing-Essays, Holidays/Seasonal, Thanksgiving, Christmas-Chanukah-Kwanzaa, Poetry, Halloween, Winter, The New Year, Valentine's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Black History Month, St. Patrick's Day, Summer, Informational Text, Coaching, Close Reading, Social Emotional Learning