Tell us why you became a teacher

Well teaching was not my first career choice because as a student I never felt “smart enough”. Nor was I on the right path. However, being a stay at home mom and being involved in my children’s school I fell in love with the with being a teacher. I admired working alongside amazing teachers. I believed that I can do it. It was not easy. It took me about 6-7 years to finish my degree and I am truly happy with my career choice because seeing my students smile when they see me is priceless.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience is hard to choose. There are so many bits and pieces like a jigsaw puzzle each piece makes it a part of a big picture. But I would say the most memorable experience was working with a student on writing she had been working hard and when we were done with the unit she was so surprised how her final paper came out. I saw how much she improved throughout the year and dedication in how much she wanted to improve her writing. Seeing her succeed is truly amazing!

What would you do with the $25,000?

What I would do with the $25,000 is to donate to the school for funding field trips for all grade levels. At the moment we are finding difficulty finding funds for a Springfield IL trip to learn more about our government. I truly believe students need real world experience to maximize their learning in school and outside the classroom.