alma

I started teaching in 1962 in New Orleans, LA. I was 22 years old and I taught 6th grade. Most of the kids were only 10 years younger than I was. Then, I went to St. Louis, taught at a Middle School in the heart of the inner city, at a private all-girls school called PROVIDENCE. It contained grades 7-8-9. Later, it became just a 6th grade Center for teaching boys and girls. All my students were of African American descent. Then, I went to teach at a public School, eighth grade, boys and girls, which had a Principal who believed 'no child should leave 8th grade until they are 16.' This was 1972 and all the students were actually well-behaved, even if it was inner-city. After that I moved to a government supported program that 'used education as a vehicle of therapy'. This also was inner city, but we had no more than 10 kids, and we had 3 teachers per room. This funding did not last long. AFter a year and a half, I traveled to California, taught 6 months at a very wealthy, private school which was very boring and everyone achieved well. So, boredom doesn't do well for my creative self. I moved to teach in the lock-up Detention Camp school of 'GLENN ROCKY' where all the gangbangers went after serious crimes. (We had 3 riots among gangs while I was there.) By this time, I had 16 years of teaching experience under my belt. During this time, I met and married the guy I still love and live with, and have so for 32 years. We moved to Reno Nevada. I then taught for 21 years for Washoe County School District, in 6th grade, at first, then 7-8th grades, then back to 6th grades for about 9 years, then to 4th grades. I kept wondering where did this reading problem begin. My final six years were with first graders, the greatest group of kids to teach in all the world! We went thematic all the time, and we built our classroom into the world we were teaching: Rainforest, Oceans, Springtime, and so on. I retired mid-year when scripted teaching was mandated by the District. I figured: they sure didn't need creativity now; they had scripts. I retired in 1999 after teaching 37 years, and in the summer time, as well, arts and crafts and ebooking classes. I volunteer to do the Art stuff with Middle Schoolers when I can after school. I teach Ebooking It! to KIDS U at the University of NEvada every summer. I am now almost 70 and very proud of it.

Constantly changing to meet the needs of kids. Creative and full of singing while we worked. In the beginning of my teaching, I was rigid and followed the book. Then I saw that kids didn't care when that was the mode. So, I changed. I never cared about tests or test scores. I still don't.

This is silly because bragging is foolish. Let my lessons stand for themselves.

Received a B.A. from Marillac College with a Major in English and History and a Minor in Education, Psychology, and philosphy. Received a WCSD Master's Degree under the District Program. I added up my credits once on the graduate level: I had enough to have attended college for 10 straight years, full-time.

For my first 15 years of Education, I was a Religious, a Daughter of Charity. Then, in 1972, I joined the rest of the world. I have no child other than those that I have taught over the years, still write some, and email others.Some have tracked me down as well.