Hi! My name is Karrie, also known as, Mrs. Diff! I am a veteran classroom teacher of 16 years and am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Outschool community. During my career, I spent time teaching first-fifth grade. When my family relocated, I stepped out of the brick-and-mortar classroom and began teaching online. I taught English to hundreds of students on an ESL platform, worked with students in Alaska, New York City, and California as a literacy tutor, and most recently, taught a third-grade class in Kentucky, virtually for the entire school year. I possess my bachelor’s degree in elementary education, with a concentration in special education. I also have my master's in school administration. Along with these two degrees, I am also a National Board-Certified Teacher in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy. I am currently licensed to teach in both New York State and Kentucky. 
I am enthusiastic about teaching all subject areas, but my favorite subjects to teach are reading, writing and science.  I also enjoy teaching arts and crafts as well as seasonal lessons. Because I love reading and digging into books, I will be offering courses that involve an in-depth discussion of several novels and picture books for younger students. 
I firmly believe that all children can learn and learning experiences need to be tailored to meet their needs. I teach with high energy and try to bring excitement and love for learning to each one of my students. I feel it is important to set goals and to work collaboratively to reach those goals.  All students learn on a different trajectory, which is why I will be offering both small group and 1:1 sessions upon request. I welcome suggestions for improvement as well as ideas for classes you would like to see for your child.  
I currently live with my husband and three daughters (twins and a big sister) in upstate New York. When I am not teaching, I love spending time with my family, cooking, going to the gym, working as a freelance writer, and playing with my dog and cat. I am excited to welcome you to my Outschool classroom. 
Fun fact:  Before I graduated from college, I worked at a summer camp as a certified dirt-bike instructor.