Vision StatementI have many passions in my life. One passion is teaching, but it is not the sole feature of my life. I use outside interests and enjoyments that are passions of mine to directly connect to my teaching. Family, camping, music, photography, and technology are outside interests that I purposefully take time to explore and enjoy. It is important that passion comes back to teaching in order to promote creativity. Creativity and passion become a foundation for lifelong learning.
In the coming years, the traditional classroom will be transformed. Traditional classroom practices will be integrated with a new focus on technology and creativity. I consider it a hybrid model because the pedagogy needs to be the solid piece in order for content to be taught. Only with the solid foundation of pedagogy can basic content be transferred through technology and other sources which will foster creativity. Technology itself is a tool that has endless possibilities. Students can use blogs or wikis to share ideas across the world. Other students can use design programs and collaborative spaces to solve problems. New literacies will need to be taught with the new technologies coming to the classroom. Students will need to be taught how to find quality information, evaluate it, synthesize it, and share it. With so many tools at the fingertips of our students, teachers need to foster and encourage creativity. It’s important to realize that teachers are preparing students for information and technology that is not yet invented. Our students need the creative piece along with the basis of content to innovate and use these technologies. These same students will be the inspiration for many future innovations and technologies. In my classroom, fostering student creativity will play a critical role. Students will be engaged in authentic tasks through the technology tools shared. They will be inspired to be creative with sharing information whether it’s visually, audibly, or kinesthetically. Projects they found boring to do will come to life. My students will not be afraid to try new things or make mistakes. They will learn and grow and become leaders in creativity and innovation. |
A Personal Look
I was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, many years ago. Even though my family moved to Michigan when I was three, many Wisconsin traits stuck with me. For one, I love the Green Bay Packers and spend many Sunday's rooting for them. Also, on rare occasions, you can hear my "Wisconsin accent" come out! From three on, I resided in Pigeon, Michigan with my parents and three older brothers. I had a wonderful and loving home life. I attended one school K-8 and during that time had a total of 4 teachers (one of which was my dad). After elementary school, I moved away to a boarding high school in Saginaw, Michigan. Michigan Lutheran Seminary was only and hour and a half away, so I went home most weekends. I was very active while there juggling sports and other various extra-curricular activities.
After graduation, I moved to the campus of Alma College where I began my teacher education classes. I loved every minute and was fortunate to get a job right out of college, teaching fourth grade at a local academy. My second year, I moved to sixth grade in the same school. Unfortunately, budget cuts came that year and I was let go. After searching all summer long, I landed another fourth grade teaching position the Friday before school started. It was a scramble of a year, but I loved every minute of it!
After two summers in Ireland, I finished my masters graduate work in the area of Educational Technology through Michigan State University. I love all the new things I have learned and am looking forward to all the opportunities available through the large network I've been able to establish.
Three years at Mt. Pleasant Public Schools allowed me to teach a year of third grade and two years of second grade. I continued to immerse myself in district activities along with volunteering my time for the Vowles Robotics Club.
The 2015-2016 school year was a big change for me as I moved to Maryland to work at Argyle Middle School as a technology teacher. I teach all grades and love the freedom I have in planning new and exciting curriculum.
After graduation, I moved to the campus of Alma College where I began my teacher education classes. I loved every minute and was fortunate to get a job right out of college, teaching fourth grade at a local academy. My second year, I moved to sixth grade in the same school. Unfortunately, budget cuts came that year and I was let go. After searching all summer long, I landed another fourth grade teaching position the Friday before school started. It was a scramble of a year, but I loved every minute of it!
After two summers in Ireland, I finished my masters graduate work in the area of Educational Technology through Michigan State University. I love all the new things I have learned and am looking forward to all the opportunities available through the large network I've been able to establish.
Three years at Mt. Pleasant Public Schools allowed me to teach a year of third grade and two years of second grade. I continued to immerse myself in district activities along with volunteering my time for the Vowles Robotics Club.
The 2015-2016 school year was a big change for me as I moved to Maryland to work at Argyle Middle School as a technology teacher. I teach all grades and love the freedom I have in planning new and exciting curriculum.