In Zab ("Tooth"), Poland, June 2010

One of three eighth-grade English Language Arts teachers at Hughes Academy, I have fourteen years’ experience in the classroom, including experience teaching English as a Foreign Language and working with at-risk youth.

Liceum Ogolnokszatcacy, Lipnica Wielka

Most of my teaching experience is international. For seven years, I taught English in Lipnica Wielka, a small village in the south of Poland. It was a constant challenge, but immensely rewarding.

My first job when I returned to the States was as a teaching assistant in an EC classroom, working primarily with children on the autism spectrum. This experience taught me in a very real, practical way to separate the behavior from the child: they are two different things, and teachers shouldn’t take most negative behaviors personally.

With my daughter

During the 2006/7 school year, I worked at a day-treatment facility for at risk youth, teaching social studies, science, and social skills. This was perhaps the most challenging job I’ve ever had.

I graduated from King College in Bristol, Tennessee with a degree in English, minoring in Secondary Education. I was very fortunate to attend such a small college (the enrollment when I attended was under 800): I was able to attend classes with small enrollments (30 was considered a “big class”) and have great relationships with professors

A few of my favorite things (other than raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens) are: reading, writing, playing chess, and cycling…