Sixth Grade Math & Science Learning Specialist
Why are you an educator? Why do you love teaching?
I am an educator because I love learning. The best way I can share that love is to pass on information to others seeking knowledge and infecting them with the need to learn more.
Teaching is sharing knowledge. I love teaching others how to get information and embolden their natural curiosity. I was drawn to education when it struck me that many underserved students needed help and I needed to give back. I love teaching and watching minds absorb new knowledge and wrestle with cracking open the door to possible solutions.
What makes the School of the Future experience different from others you’ve had?
I will sum it up this way: when I share with adults some of the lessons we have at SOF, they look at me with longing and a tinge of remorse. They usually wonder where was that teaching model when they were in school. At SOF students are allowed to question and struggle to find their own answers. No solution is wrong, some just need more time to think through, and students are allowed to do just that.
What other activities/programs (at SOF or outside of the school) are you involved with?
This year at SOF, interested Middle School singers will have the opportunity to join the Middle School Chorus I am organizing. It will be an opportunity to collaborate with peers and come together as a community for the common goal of making music and having fun.
What is your advice to aspiring teachers?
My advice to anyone wanting to teach is to be in love with the profession. Your love for teaching and for your students will get noticed and will be returned. Those days when you feel defeated or exhausted this love will keep you motivated and refreshed. It only takes one kid to tell you thanks, or beam with pride when they struggle through to the solution, for that feeling of satisfaction with your chosen profession to take hold.
Why do you like working at SOF?
SOF gives me the opportunity to grow as an educator with kind supports from my colleagues and administrators. SOF allows me to stretch my teaching capacity to find what works for me and my students without feeling restrains on my creativity. The SOF community makes it possible to grow and explore and is accessible and nurturing for educators and students alike.
