A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I earned my BA in English and a Teaching Certificate in Grades 7-12 from St. Joseph’s University. I also hold an MS in Educational Studies from Johns Hopkins University, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Mind, Brain, and Teaching, and a Graduate Certificate in Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Having worked as a Learning Specialist and English/Language Arts Instructor since 2004 in several diverse and inclusive learning communities, I aspire to cultivate the positive, empathetic, and extreme learner in each of my students.I want them to be curious and self-motivated across units of study, and I want them to develop strong social-emotional skills and exercise compassion.
Through literature study, I encourage my students to make connections with the characters whom they encounter and the worlds that they explore. To quote L.R. Knost, “Some say they get lost in books, but I find myself, again and again, in the pages.” I hope my students find themselves again and again within my classroom and through our shared studies. When I’m not reading or teaching, I enjoy hiking with my husband, a fellow educator, and my daughter, a student at McLean. I also love studying empirical research on the developing adolescent brain and streaming Netflix shows recommended by my middle schoolers.