Hi--most days you can find me at my younger daughter's school, for students with multiple disabilities--I know about kids with severe disabilities and some of their educational needs! Or I might be talking over options with my older daughter, a recent graduate of NYU--honors in her field of broadcast journalism. I also know about gifted students!
I did my undergraduate work at Colby College, in beautiful Waterville, Maine, and graduated cum laude in 1978, with a degree in English, and minors in Theater Arts and Education. While at Colby I participated in an exchange program, which allowed me to spend a semester my junior year at Pomona College in Claremont, CA, where I concentrated on earning credits toward a theater degree. We also had a "Jan Plan" program at Colby, which allowed us to do intensive work in one subject for a month after the Christmas break. I used this time to study classical guitar, to travel to England to explore the Theater in that country, to get extensive experience in designing lights for the theater, and to do my student teaching full-time for 5 weeks. After that student teaching experience, plus part-time teaching at least one semester starting as a sophmore, I was happy to accept my first teaching job in 1978, in central Maine. I taught there for 3 years, then married and, with my husband,attended graduate school at Penn State, taking courses in Theater, English, and Education. (I was happy to receive almost a full scholarship from Penn State to attend that program.)
I worked towards a master in theater Arts. Unfortunately, the death of my father prevented my from completing a thesis--the only thing I had left to do in order to graduate. Getting the actual degree seemed less important that actually getting a job at that time, so I left with that project hanging over my head, and it's still hanging there! So officially I have a bachelor's degree, plus 16 credits towards a masters. I need the last 6 credits which comes with the completed thesis.....
After I left Penn State I taught at a private boarding school for 3 years, then left to start our family. I've taught English, with an emphasis on writing and on British Literature, and I've taught theater arts, and done a lot of directing. And I've taught all the things that Moms teach their growing kids -toilet training, cooking, playing nicely together, etc. And, as I mentioned, I have two kids--one 11, one 22, and they are as far apart as possible on the ability scales.
I'm quite patient, and am more interested in the kid than in the material. I haven't taught for a long time--my first baby was born in "
1986--but I don't think I've forgotten everything!