Well, I did, at one time, want to be an archaeologist, but when a snake chased me up onto a ladder, I changed my mind! So, here I am! :-)
Every year I look forward to my classes and all of my new students, hoping to instill in them a love of the written word. One of the most important skills I stress to my students each year is inference. I hope to help them to see beyond what is right in front of them - to use their minds and their imaginations to reach a new level of understanding.
Literature is the perfect medium to accomplish this goal; therefore, we read and write quite a bit in my classes, but I also like to think that we have a little bit of fun, too.
Some of my favorite pieces of literature are British pieces. For instance, the story of Beowulf (my absolute favorite piece of literature) is not just the oldest surviving manuscript but also the ultimate heroic epic; this marvelous adventure actually served as an inspiration to Tolkien when he wrote Lord of the Rings; however, while I love British literature, I also enjoy reading pieces from just about any era and genre, and I especially love being able to recommend books to my students. Some of my favorites are Watchers, Mila 18, Macbeth, Anthem, The Crucible, and of course, Beowulf.
Next, on a more personal note, I have been married to the most wonderful man for over forty years (pretty amazing right? :-), and we live way out in the isolated wilds of Monroe County. My husband and I have two sons. Our oldest son Alan is the principal at Red Bud High School, and our youngest Scott is an aerospace quality control engineer in Dallas, Texas. My hobbies include reading voraciously, exercising, traveling, and swinging on my porch swing watching the world around me.
Every year I look forward to my classes and all of my new students, hoping to instill in them a love of the written word. One of the most important skills I stress to my students each year is inference. I hope to help them to see beyond what is right in front of them - to use their minds and their imaginations to reach a new level of understanding.
Literature is the perfect medium to accomplish this goal; therefore, we read and write quite a bit in my classes, but I also like to think that we have a little bit of fun, too.
Some of my favorite pieces of literature are British pieces. For instance, the story of Beowulf (my absolute favorite piece of literature) is not just the oldest surviving manuscript but also the ultimate heroic epic; this marvelous adventure actually served as an inspiration to Tolkien when he wrote Lord of the Rings; however, while I love British literature, I also enjoy reading pieces from just about any era and genre, and I especially love being able to recommend books to my students. Some of my favorites are Watchers, Mila 18, Macbeth, Anthem, The Crucible, and of course, Beowulf.
Next, on a more personal note, I have been married to the most wonderful man for over forty years (pretty amazing right? :-), and we live way out in the isolated wilds of Monroe County. My husband and I have two sons. Our oldest son Alan is the principal at Red Bud High School, and our youngest Scott is an aerospace quality control engineer in Dallas, Texas. My hobbies include reading voraciously, exercising, traveling, and swinging on my porch swing watching the world around me.
Degrees
University of Southern Illinois - Edwardsville ***Bachelor of Science - English*** Speech Communication Secondary Education 9-12 University of Missouri - Columbia ***Master of Education*** Educational Technology - Technology in Schools Instructional Technology Additional Credentials Advanced Placement Summer Institute 2018 Advanced Placement Summer Institute 2020 AP Curriculum Certificate |
Professional Responsibilities
English Department Chair Renaissance Director New Teacher Mentor |
The years spent in an educational institution are the most important developmental years in the life of a child. Everyday, for thirteen years or more, students are placed in the care of educators, and the responsibility is immeasurable. Every educator has the responsibility to establish expectations, build self-esteem, ensure success, teach life skills, be a role model, and exhort students to reach their full potential. Therefore, it is imperative that one has specific principles and goals.
*I believe that all children are created equal; therefore, they should have equal educational opportunities regardless of race, religion, gender, or academic propensity. All students are entitled to and deserve the same initiative, enthusiasm, and dedication on the part of the educator.
*I believe that each student has the right and ability to learn. Diverse teaching strategies and various assessment strategies, which factor in different learning styles, can ensure success for all students. Teachers should act as facilitators and guide learning of their students along the paths that their individual mentalities and interests lead them.
*I believe that each student is an important, unique, and special individual. Each will be encouraged and exhorted to achieve to an individual standard of personal excellence.
*I believe that students should be interacted with in a manner that encourages a concept of self-worth, competence, and value to both themselves and society. Students should be treated with respect and dignity, even in the administration of discipline. Educators are not judge and jury over the student but over the behavior of that student. The student will be cared for and encouraged, while inappropriate behavior is discouraged.
*I believe that curriculum should be relevant to the life of the student. Real task assessments should be used to gauge success in an area. Rote memorization, drill and practice activities, and a narrowed subject-centered curriculum leave no room for personalization of either content or student initiative.
*I believe that an educator should have an attitude of genuine caring. Listening and understanding students from their point of view encourages open communication and facilitates learning. Students need to know that they are important and someone cares about them. They need to have goals placed before them and guidelines set upon them. An attitude of genuine caring will also create a safe learning environment where every student will feel comfortable both physically and psychologically. Students will know that they are safe from physical harm and their ideas, opinions, and interests will be respected without ridicule or judgment.
*I believe that all children are created equal; therefore, they should have equal educational opportunities regardless of race, religion, gender, or academic propensity. All students are entitled to and deserve the same initiative, enthusiasm, and dedication on the part of the educator.
*I believe that each student has the right and ability to learn. Diverse teaching strategies and various assessment strategies, which factor in different learning styles, can ensure success for all students. Teachers should act as facilitators and guide learning of their students along the paths that their individual mentalities and interests lead them.
*I believe that each student is an important, unique, and special individual. Each will be encouraged and exhorted to achieve to an individual standard of personal excellence.
*I believe that students should be interacted with in a manner that encourages a concept of self-worth, competence, and value to both themselves and society. Students should be treated with respect and dignity, even in the administration of discipline. Educators are not judge and jury over the student but over the behavior of that student. The student will be cared for and encouraged, while inappropriate behavior is discouraged.
*I believe that curriculum should be relevant to the life of the student. Real task assessments should be used to gauge success in an area. Rote memorization, drill and practice activities, and a narrowed subject-centered curriculum leave no room for personalization of either content or student initiative.
*I believe that an educator should have an attitude of genuine caring. Listening and understanding students from their point of view encourages open communication and facilitates learning. Students need to know that they are important and someone cares about them. They need to have goals placed before them and guidelines set upon them. An attitude of genuine caring will also create a safe learning environment where every student will feel comfortable both physically and psychologically. Students will know that they are safe from physical harm and their ideas, opinions, and interests will be respected without ridicule or judgment.