Hello!

My name is Mrs. Love, and I have been a middle school Language Arts and Social Studies teacher for the past ten years. Additionally, I have designed curriculum and taught several middle school elective classes, such as creative writing, advanced literature, newspaper, yearbook, and more. I have worked as an adjunct faculty member for the past two years as well in an elementary education teacher preparation program, teaching a variety of literacy and child development courses. My range and breadth of experience is K-12 literacy education, including teaching high school English in an online setting as well. On Outschool, I will be teaching a variety of courses such as creative writing for beginners, middle school novel studies, poetic storytelling, advanced creative writing, elementary book studies, elementary creative writing, and advanced writing and reading challenges. As an avid photographer in my free time, I will also be teaching classes on photojournalism at both the beginner and advanced levels. 

My philosophy of education is that each student who enters my classroom has the same right as his or her peers to receive a high-quality education where they are known, cared for, and valued individually. In everything I do, I individualize my instruction as much as possible. Differentiation is not just a buzzword, it’s the anchor by which my classes are rooted. As a teacher, my desire is that my classes are places where students feel safe and where they look forward to entering each and every day. 

One of the things that is most important to me is greeting each of my students by name when I see them, referring to them in respectful language, modeling integrity and fairness in my own actions, and showing compassion and empathy whenever possible. I want my students to know that I care about them, not just by my words but by my actions. This means that I make heart-based decisions to balance instinctive head-based decisions. I also listen to my students to find out what their needs are, and adapt and adjust if the situation warrants it. I want my students to be able to trust me as their teacher and leader, and trust takes time to build. Modeling, explaining, giving examples, telling stories, and making connections whenever possible are just some of the many ways that I focus on classroom culture and community at the heart of what I do. 

I also believe in showing students how and why they are capable of achieving something. In many cases frustration and overwhelm may rise up when a student is faced with something that they don’t know how they can accomplish. I work hard to come alongside them and affirm to them how they can, why they can, and break things down step-by-step, making myself available for help whenever possible. No matter the age, my students need me to believe in them, and when they know that I do, their achievement is always much greater than when they first doubted themselves.  

I also believe in creating lessons that are relevant, ones that shape outlooks on life, society, and important issues, and ones that are engaging and meaningful so that students can apply the lessons to their own lives. Whether it be a simulation, real-world projects to make a difference in the world and take action, or anything else that gives students choice and ownership, I strive to make that happen as much as possible. 

Overall, as a teacher I believe it is my role to serve as mentor, facilitator, educator, coach, counselor, and advisor, and through that my philosophy of education has students at the center of it all, driving the activities we do, the lessons I teach, and the community and culture of the classroom as a whole. 

In my free time, I enjoy exploring national parks and trails with my husband and five year old son, cooking, playing the piano, writing, reading, and traveling as often as possible!