Literacy in Focus

As a teacher, I have a wide-range of experience. I have a secondary teaching credential in Language Arts and Social Science as well as a Master’s Degree in Education, which means I can teach a heck of a lot of subjects. I started my teaching career at a high school in South Los Angeles. To say I hit the ground running is an understatement. I taught 9th, 10th, and 11th grade English from a cart that I rolled around campus. The school, although massive, didn’t have enough classrooms to accommodate all of their teachers. Suffice it to say, I learned a lot my first year. I taught at the high school level another year before moving to a charter middle school in Orange County. As a student, middle school was hell on earth. As a teacher, I couldn’t get enough. I was teaching 7th grade World History and 8th grade U.S. History. I also served as the school’s technology coach. Eventually, with my growing knowledge of the 7th and 8th grade curriculums, I became the History Department Chairperson. As the years progressed, the number of English learners at our school increased. Upon request, I was given the opportunity to teach History, Reading, and Language Arts to all levels of language learners. Soon, I became the Curriculum Manager and English Language Advisor for our school.

It was during my time spent working with English learners that I grew the most as a teacher. The provided curriculum didn’t meet the needs of my students. I was constantly creating new material, researching effective strategies, and developing engaging lessons that encouraged critical thinking. I was determined to create a learning environment where all students could thrive. Although successful, I was exhausted. I had spent over a decade giving every ounce of my being to my teaching practice. It was time to make a choice between creating curriculum or teaching. It was one of the toughest decisions of my life. Ultimately, I made the decision to leave the classroom and work full-time creating content and material for teachers around the world. I took a leap of faith, and it worked out. I love what I do. I enjoy creating captivating resources that meet the needs of all levels of learners. I strive to create materials that can be differentiated, modified, or scaffolded for a diverse group of students. In 2019, my first book was published. Titled Home of the Brave: 15 American Immigrants Who Shaped US History, the book features 15 different biographies and corresponding activities for upper elementary and middle school readers. My second book, World History for Kids: 500 Facts, was published in 2021.

Contributing Teacher, UCI History Project; Project GLAD Facilitator; People to People International Participating Teacher; Published Author: Home of the Brave, An American History Book for Kids: 15 Immigrants Who Shaped US History and World History for Kids: 500 Facts

BS Journalism, California Teaching Credential: History/Social Science, California Teaching Credential: English/Language Arts, MA Education

Website: www.litinfocus.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/literacyinfocus, Facebook: www.facebook.com/literacyinfocus, Email: brooke@litinfocus.com