BackgroundIt is easy to become complacent in life; not only in one’s personal life, but also in one’s professional life. In 2006, I worked for a small radio station, which seemed exciting to me as a young 22 year-old fresh out of college and ready to begin my new journey. It did not take long for that excitement to wear off and I was, to the say the least, disappointed that this great job would wind up being one that was less desirable every day that passed. Ever the optimist, I knew there had to be something better - something out there that would move me and make me feel excited about my work and my place in the world. It was while sitting at my desk job perusing the Internet all day long, feeling unfulfilled that I discovered I do have a passion in life and that passion is teaching. I have never been one to settle for something that I find worthless - and this is what drove me to pursue my MAT in English at Salem State University beginning in 2007. Only one year after graduating college, I was ready to get back to it and follow this brand new career path. I learned so many lessons from this one year stint at the radio station that I believe are reflected in my teaching philosophy. I have been a part of the Burlington Public School system since the Fall of 2007. I entered the system as a permanent substitute teacher at Marshall Simonds Middle School until I landed my first long-term English position at NorthEast Metro Technical High School in Wakefield in the Winter of 2010. Budget cuts and fate brought me back to Burlington in the Fall of 2011 when I was offered a position covering a maternity leave position. The following year, I was hired full time and have been a proud member of the Burlington High School faculty ever since. I currently teach sophomore and junior English classes at the CPI and Honors level. I advise Collab, the school's literary and art magazine. In the past I have been an assistant softball coach, an adviser to the class of 2017 and the school’s Film Club. I am committed to Burlington students and feel lucky to be involved in this community as a teacher, coach, and adviser. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the Burlington community for many years to come. |
Teaching Philosophy |
As our society changes, so do the needs of our students. As an educator, it is my job to ensure the needs of my students are being met year after year. In order to do this, it is important to me to be educated on the most current educational research and to self-reflect on prior years in order to decide which practices were effective and which need to be adjusted. My main goal each year is to keep students interested and engaged in their learning and to focus their attention on why they are in school, to get students to think critically and independently and recognize that education is more than a grade on a report card. For this reason, I am choosing to change my grading methods going into the 2019-2020 school year. The change will reflect my belief in skills based learning. The method of grading is meant to inspire students to embrace the growth mindset to create products of pride.
I think it is so important for my students to make connections with the literature we read and the world around them. Making current event connections in class allows students to learn to express opinions and remain open minded to those who may disagree with them. It allows students to view the world from more than one lens and to build empathy and compassion for those whose lives may be different from their own. I want my students to understand tolerance, and to learn to stand up for those who may need support. I believe this comes through the literature that is selected for them, as well as literature of their choice. I do not believe in lecturing students to understand a concept, but rather allowing students to think collaboratively and independently to build their understanding of a concept. My classroom centers around collaboration in the form of critical thinking discussions, projects, and assignments. From these types of activities, students learn to think for themselves and form an opinion based on what they have learned. I want my classroom to be an open and comfortable environment for students to express themselves. Students need to feel comfortable in their learning space in order to truly gain from their experience. I feel that filling the room with positive energy at all times helps to maintain this type of atmosphere. Open communication between the teacher, student, and guardian is also important in keeping the student engaged in his or her own learning. I invite students to meet during conference times with both me and their guardian(s). As for expectations in the classroom, I expect for students to enter the room with a desire to learn, and I am never opposed to their feedback on how to best make this happen. My goal is to prepare my students for existing in a world where there is good and bad, and where they may feel disappointed one day and on top of the world the next. I want them to understand that life is not going to let them down as long as they find purpose in the path they choose. |
Other info |
Outside of grading and planning and professional development classes, I also enjoy downtime with my husband, Joe and our 2 sweet babies, Evan (2) and Madelyn (5 months). I love going to Patriots and Celtics games, spending time with my ridiculously huge family, especially my many nieces and nephews, watching mindless TV shows like the Real Housewives and The Bachelor, reading young adult literature for enjoyment, the beach and warm weather, perusing FB Marketplace for items that match my classroom decor, cheesy jokes, music of so many varieties, and home renovation projects.
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