After more than thirty years in education, I have discovered a few things! First, all students are capable of learning – it is a matter of figuring out how they learn. Second, the first obstacle to learning is confidence. If children see themselves as less than capable, there is little I can teach them until they see themselves as learners. I live for those lightbulb moments when struggling students finally get it, when they realize that they aren‘t “stupid.” Those are among the sweetest moments in my life!
I started out teaching in a day treatment facility for students with extreme behavioral issues. I taught there for about five years and then became a teacher consultant for Romeo Schools. There I taught in a resource room while performing the academic testing for both students in the special education programs as well as those being evaluated for them. Later I was was lucky enough to become a stay-at-home mom with my first child. For various reasons, I ended up homeschooling all four of my children until high school. Once my youngest was in eighth grade, I began teaching language arts for Homeschool Connections. I currently teach there as well as at Highpoint Hybrid Academy.
As a tutor for Inkwell, I am excited to work with students in smaller learning situations. In a world where technology and media have become so prominent, there is a great need for individuals who communicate well through the written word. As Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
Degree: B.A. – Central Michigan; M.A – Oakland University
Major: B.A. – Teacher of Emotionally Impaired; M.A. – Reading and Language Arts with an endorsement in Learning Disabilities
Speciality: students who dislike writing
Years of Experience: 30+
Hero: Jesus, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller
High–Impact Books: To Kill a Mockingbird, Fahrenheit 451, This Present Darkness
High–Impact Lecture: “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” by Sir Ken Robinson
Favorite Places I’ve Visited: Williamsburg, VA; Hawaii; Italy
Hobbies: hiking, cooking, reading, attending live theater, attending concerts, exploring new places
Passion: my family and helping students learn
Favorite Quotation: “We can’t keep fighting for a steady life, so I’ll ride the wind like a feather towards home.” – “Lose Control” by Colony House