My life began in Texas where I spent most of my time playing softball, piano, singing in the a cappella choir, and going to hockey and baseball games with my family. I chose to attend college at the University of Colorado in Boulder where I fell in love with wildlife science and hiking in the mountains. I followed my passion of people and the environment for the next few years and chose to work in wildlife research (chasing owls and catching slugs), and teaching young people about the wonders of the outdoors as we hiked and backpacked through California and the Utah desert. I learned how to rock climb, backpack without a shower for 8 days at a time and work with at-risk youth struggling with mental illnesses. After 5 years of moving around the United States, I was ready and prepared to attend graduate school at SOU in Ashland to earn two Master's degrees in Environmental Education and Teaching. I am so excited and proud to have found my place at Crater Renaissance Academy of Arts and Sciences! Got any fun science facts or questions about life? Come see me and chat!
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Interests |
Photography, traveling, fall colors, mountains, skiing, backpacking, rock climbing, and nights watching Netflix with good friends and family.
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Educational Philosophy |
My philosophy of teaching begins first and foremost with the understanding that I will be teaching students, not just science. I believe that high school is a challenging and foundational time period for students to explore their identity and develop their system of ethics and values. Creating a safe physical and emotional environment that allows students to stretch their comfort zones and overcome their fears is imperative to supporting and empowering my students' social, emotional, and academic growth. I prefer to act as a coach or mentor to establish a deeper level of trust between my students and myself. Further, a student-centered classroom is far more effective and engaging than a teacher-centered model. To create this environment, constant and consistent feedback from students must be utilized to create the assignments and assessments that they find most effective and useful. My hope is that I can empower students to feel heard, explore their own belief systems, and challenge themselves to consider new perspectives.
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