I enjoy instilling a love of learning in my students. I help them to explore the world around them through reading and to express themselves creatively through speaking and writing. I help students to utilize reading strategies to better comprehend what they read, to apply the six traits of writing to make their writing interesting and comprehensible, and to learn a second language so they can better communicate with others.
Language is what most makes us human and enables us to interact with others in our world. Reading is a way to travel to other places and time periods and to enter the hearts and minds of others so that we can grow as individuals and gain power through knowledge. Writing is a way to express ourselves creatively and to communicate valuable ideas with others. Grammar is the vehicle that helps us to express our thoughts so that others can understand our ideas and appreciate our ideas and creativity.
My education and years of experience have honed my skills as a teacher. I have a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a double major in English and Spanish from the University of Illinois. I also have a Master of Education degree in Bilingual Education from Arizona State University. I hold a valid and current teaching certificate in secondary education and am highly qualified to teach English and Spanish. I also have endorsements in Bilingual Education and SIOPE. I hold a valid fingerprint clearance card.
I was raised in a bilingual home of Spanish descent and have lived in Spain where my family is from. I have 21 years of teaching experience in public and private schools. I have taught grades K-12, as well as at the university level and adult classes. Many of my students have been second language learners. I have taught English, Spanish, photography, journalism, and social studies. I have served as yearbook advisor, newsletter editor, literary magazine coordinator and spelling bee coordinator in the schools where I have taught. In addition to teaching, I have worked for several publications as a writer and photographer.
back to top