Trang Exchange

Though I have taught for 23 years, I still begin each school year with anticipation, excitement, and enthusiasm. I love teaching. It is my dream job. Because I spend so much time with my students, I find it impossible not to consider them my kids. Having taught classes ranging from 4-8th grade ELD, seventh grade core, advanced eighth grade English, and English support, I have worked to hone my skills. I consider scaffolding one of my strengths and have found that even the most gifted students benefit from strategic scaffolding. Each year, I have seen the workshop process transform students into critical readers and autonomous, ambitious, and inspired writers.

I love learning, and I find that my students often make the best teachers. As a teacher, I find myself in a constant state of re-vision. I value community building, laughter, fun, collaboration, growth mindset, creativity, gaming learning, positive reinforcement, close reading, pleasure reading, books (and more books!), working word banks (or "word heaven" as one student called them), comfortable, inviting learning environments (with bean bags, of course), hands-on projects, engaging mini-lessons, celebrating writing, and constructive feedback. I also believe that every child wants to learn and can--given the proper support.

Writers' Workshop Coaching Certificate

Master’s Degree in English, Single-Subject Teaching Credential with an English concentration, College of Notre Dame de Namur; Belmont, California, Bachelor of the Arts in English with a Minor in Linguistics, Teaching English as a Second Language TESOL Certificate, California Polytechnic University; San Luis Obispo, California

I wake at dawn, drink too much coffee, and often fall down the rabbit hole of research.