Striving For PROGRESS Not perfection

I have been teaching for over 20 years and have been blessed to work with a large variety of students. I have worked with regular education and special education students. I have worked in schools with students that are in poverty and students who have a high SES. Working with a variety of kids (in three states), I have been able to gain a unique perspective into "what works" with kids. I have a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, a master's degree in Special Education and have been Nationally Board Certified.

I believe that all students can learn. However, I don't believe that all kids learn in the same way. It is important to me to find "what works" for each individual child. In my over 20 years of teaching experience, I feel that most kids learn best when challenged and when having fun! Kids also need to feel that they have ownership and pride in their work...which is why I include self-assessment or self-checking in many of my projects.

In 2005, I earned my National Board Certification in Special Education. In addition, I have won several awards and the school and district level throughout my teacher career. The greatest joy, however, is the moment when one of my ROCKSTARS finally "gets it!"

I attended public school and graduated high school in 1991. In 1995, I graduated with a undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University. I finished my master's degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida in 2005.

Having started my teaching career in a small rural community in Indiana, I relocated to Tampa, Florida. After over 12 years in Tampa, my family and I have once again relocated to Louisiana. I have a very supportive husband and two active, wonderful kids!