Self-control is my Superpower, with "Captain Marvel"!

Hello, I'm Ms. Jen (she/her)! I love learning and growing and have a passion for creating fun materials and passing along what I know to children and teens. I've been doing it in various ways for over two decades! Outschool is the perfect way for me to do exactly what I love most and I truly consider this to be my dream job. 

I'm teaching classes around all aspects of mental health, from fun and engaging classes around impulse control, coping skills, growth mindset, focus, attention, critical thinking, memory, and self-esteem, to social-emotional learning that I believe every child would benefit from. 

I graduated college with dual four-year degrees in Psychology and English, Creative Writing while also completing the Honor's Program. I'm a Qualified Mental Health Professional with children in the state of Virginia. I also obtained my Child Development Associate earlier in my career.

For eight years, until the pandemic, I was both an Intensive In-home and Therapeutic Day Treatment Counselor in public schools, supporting youth with severe behavioral challenges, anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc. I have a wealth of experience with children who are neurodiverse, especially those who are autistic, ADHD, and/or with Tourette Syndrome. I've also served and supported many LGBTQIA+ students. All are welcome in my classroom.

I successfully homeschooled my neurodivergent son in K & 1st grade, and after some public schooling, we've returned to homeschooling to enjoy the freedom this brings to his learning. I enjoy supporting him in his own business of growing and selling vegetable plants and watching him thrive in doing what he loves. 

I was a business owner and teacher of a Montessori-inspired preschool in the past and have an internationally read blog on Montessori-inspired activities that was featured in a book and on many websites. In my earlier years, I worked as a beloved nanny for several families and was also as a preschool, daycare, and wrap-around Kindergarten teacher. I've loved creating enjoyable and educational activities for children since I began babysitting at age 12! 

I enjoy making positive connections with the children I teach and strive to allow each child to feel special, heard, and welcome in my classroom. I believe that learning should be fun, and I hope to inspire in my students a further curiosity about themselves, the world, and the people around them. I also believe that learning is life-long and extends beyond the usual classroom. Many of the classes I teach are what I wish could be included in every public school child's education for the development of a mentally healthy and well-rounded youth!


In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, fossil hunting on the beach, biking, gardening, cooking, exploring new places, yoga, reading, writing, watching S. Korean dramas, and acts of kindness. My son and two young shelter cats keep life outside the classroom fun and full of laughter. I've lived in four states and thirteen towns and cities in my adult life -- I enjoy meeting new people and exploring different areas of the country. My biggest dream is to travel the world and meet and learn from people from all different cultures!