Update: I will be taking a short teaching break for a few months, but I'll be back in June!

I am passionate about providing challenging and motivating curriculum to gifted, talented, and high- ability learners.  I love to teach thematically, and some of my favorite topics include spies, ancient Egypt, Rube Goldberg machines,  architecture, archaeology, poetry, psychology, philosophy, and about a million other topics.  Essentially, I enjoy teaching anything that makes my kiddos really 'light up'.

My educational degrees include: Bachelor of Science- Elementary education; Master of Arts- Gifted Education; Educational Specialist- Educational Technology.  I hold three teaching certificates: Early Childhood, birth-3rd grade; Elementary 1-6; Gifted K-12.  I've taught 15 years in private, public, and charter schools.  I found my "forever home" in my current district, where I have been teaching gifted youth in grades 1-8 for the past 8 years.  

"I feel safe here."  If nothing else, I want my students to experience a sense of community and belonging, and to feel comfortable to be their true selves while in my class.  That is the lens through which I design every lecture, game, video, quest, worksheet, web link, or activity.  My students pride themselves on "embracing" their "inner nerd", and we delight in learning together without fear of judgment or reproach.  It is safe to make mistakes in my class, it's okay to laugh at ourselves, and it's wonderful to take risks, even when they lead to failure- because that's how we grow.

When I'm not teaching I like to swim, hike, travel, ballroom dance, and socialize with friends and neighbors on my back patio.  I spend much of my free time with my husband and son. 

I am truly looking forward to working with your student and sharing my love of learning.  I am confident that your kiddo will have a very positive experience in my class!