Moscow, 2015
My eldest son, Jackson and I won 2nd Place in the Independence Day Parade!
(Ketchikan, 2015) Yakutat
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Adak Island
About MeIn May 2016, I completed Master's of the Arts in Teaching program with the University of Alaska Southeast, which included a comprehensive 9 month student-teaching internship.
I student taught in World History, Alaska Studies, Debate, and U.S. Government classrooms. I graduated Cum Laude from The Catholic University of America in 2007; I majored in History, and earned a minor (18 credits) in Spanish. In 2014, I received an Occupational Endorsement through the University of Alaska Fairbanks in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Who I amOne of my many pleasures in life is spending time in nature. Southeast Alaska’s abundant wildlife gives me the chance to experience all the many intricacies of our natural world. When I am in nature, I am able to make relations and connections; just as when I teach, I want my students to see real things and make real connections.
My family also enjoys traveling. We recently returned from a trip to Moscow, Russia. This kind of experience allows my inner historian to really flow. Touching the walls of St. Basil's cathedral and walking the stones of Red Square is the kind of experience that makes me realize that my students need to feel what history really means, rather than memorize facts. I strongly believe that the History classroom should be a place where students learn skills that they will use throughout their lives. In my classroom, I focus on building critical thinking skills, as well as primary source analysis. In addition, I strive to make learning relevant: Tying the past to the present is a powerful learning tool. My HistoryThis chapter of my life started about eight years ago, when I moved to Yakutat, Alaska. Presently, I reside in Ketchikan, where I enjoy my time outdoors (even in the rain!), hunting, and fishing, and beach-combing. When the weather is too bad, I enjoy woodworking in my garage.
I grew up about 20 miles west of New York City, in Boonton, New Jersey, and I can't imagine moving back. I have fallen in love with Southeast Alaska, and I'm looking forward to raising my family here....where the air is still fresh, and there are still places to explore! |