Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher to make learning fun and ensure every student feels included and has a sense of belonging no matter their ability level. As a child I had too much energy and was often excluded from partner/group activities. Each day I have the honor of loving my students, catering to their learner styles, and helping them set and achieve goals, essentially becoming the best versions of themselves. I enjoy working as partners in education with parents and gaining new family members yearly.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was teaching online at home during the 2020-2021 school year. The learning curve for educators was steep, but I rose to the challenge. I had online captains that facilitated their own Google Meet groups in which they discussed academic content and retold stories. I also turned my garage into a library and had my 1st graders choose 10 books every two weeks, to ensure they would learn how to read with a book in their hands and understand concepts about print.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won the $25,000, I would buy some more books for my classroom (I’m a book hoarder.) I would donate $1,000 of food for the 150 land and water animals at my school. I would put a down payment on a car because my 2007 Chevy Tahoe is only sufficient for driving in town. I would resurface my pool deck so it’s smoother for students to play on when I have them over in the summer. I would also get a new MacBook Pro because my current one that I use for work is 8 years old and runs slow.