A Little Bit About Me

  I have always enjoyed working with young people. Trying to figure out the best way to reach them is a challenge I thoroughly enjoy, and watching a young person grow and mature is fascinating. Their desire to be all grown up one moment and slip back in to childhood the next makes me smile. One early experience that stands out in my mind is teaching a small group of five or six year olds in a church studies class when I was 19.  Their teachers before me had set the routine of telling a story and then working on a craft. However, I quickly noticed this group's inability to sit still through story time. As a person who enjoys crafts and with a background that includes theatre, I decided to switch up the format of the class. We began by briefly talking our way through the story as we built our set. We painted small cardboard blocks to create rocks, which became an altar; assigned two students to waving a blue sheet which represented our river, and other students became the leader of the Israelites or some of the Israelite people who crossed through the river. Our set was simple, and the students were able to create everything themselves in a short amount of time. Lastly, we acted out the story, and each student had a part in our play. In this way, we were able to learn the story in a style that stuck with them longer, and we avoided the battle to get that young energy restrained to a seat and table. I found myself looking forward to this class much more as did the students.
   

   From an unconventional route of jobs and educational experiences starting with homeschooling, I have decided that I want to teach public elementary school. I believe my experiences with education, the arts, and interacting with the public will allow me to succeed in this venture. I look forward to engaging students in the learning process and helping them learn how to navigate their lives to obtain well-rounded happiness. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Music from SUNY Oswego in 2006, graduating cum laude. From there I went on to be a music director for a period of time, and then I began working at a Community College in a transitional program for students with disabilities. It was during this time that I realized how much I enjoyed working in a classroom setting and discovering new ways of teaching material to young people. I am currently pursuing my Master's in Inclusive Elementary Education from Le Moyne college, and I expect to graduate in 2011. When I began my college career in 2002, I was unaware of the adventure I was signing up for that would eventually lead me to the wonderful world of teaching.