Passions:
I love working with young people of any age. In my experience, there are perks to working with every age group, but my favorite but I particularly enjoy working with middle schoolers (10-14 year olds). Middle school is the time when students are deciding whether or not they can "do" school, whether or not school is for them. They are impressionable and have a lot to learn, yet feel very grown-up and want to be independent. They need so much, but don't want to or know how to ask. Middle schoolers are fiercely loyal once they respect you, but they make life very difficult if they don't. They are beginning to be capable of abstract thought and starting to develop their own ideas about the world. I find the contradictions fascinating and I enjoy the challenge of finding the right balance for each individual. 

 

I also really enjoy working with younger children (ages 4-8) because they are so curious about the world and take such delight in experiencing things for the first time. 

 

I love learning about the brain and how it works! I believe that the findings from neuroscience can shed light on teaching, learning, and life in general.  I am particularly interested in how learning happens in the brain and what can be done in the classroom to maximize learning.

 

I am very interested in the way that technology, particularly the internet, social media and electronics, impact our society and our relationships with each other.

 

Goals:

• To become a more successful and effective educator

• To make a difference in the lives of my students

• To help my students realize their potential and feel empowered to make the world a better place

• To be constantly learning and growing as both an educator and a human

• To support others in their learning

• To never stop loving what I do