
Department(s)
Education & Experience
BA in Mathematics, St. Olaf College
MA in Reading Education, East Carolina University
Courses Taught
Bio
I have been a fan of Classical education, the Well-Trained Mind, and homeschooling for many years. In many ways, teaching at WTMA is a dream come true! I have been teaching in various capacities for over 20 years. From teaching English in Japan, to teaching math in a traditional brick-and-mortar public school, to leading poetry classes in a homeschool co-op, to privately tutoring students in math and reading, education has always been at the heart of what I do.
In 1997, I graduated with a BA in Mathematics from St. Olaf College. Following college, my adventurous spirit led me to Japan where I spent one year teaching English through the Japanese Exchange in Teaching (JET) Program. Upon returning home, I decided to pursue teaching full-time and earned my teaching certificate from Appalachian State University. From 2002 through 2007, I taught 6th grade math as well as 4th and 5th graders in a self-contained classroom. In 2007, I was honored to receive the Teacher of the Year award for the Caldwell County School System. When I became a mother, I decided that being home with my sons was the best thing for my family. Homeschooling naturally followed. Over the past ten years, I have home-schooled my two sons, Julius and Leo. It has been a rich and wonderful experience for all of us. Teaching suits me. While I enjoy teaching just about any subject, math is definitely my favorite one. Math was always my favorite subject in school and it was what I studied in college. I enjoy figuring out different ways to explain mathematical concepts to my students and seeing students become excited about them.
I live with my husband and two sons in the foothills of North Carolian in a rural community aptly named Happy Valley. In my free time, I enjoy baking bread, reading, especially Classics and poetry, bird watching, riding my bike, playing the piano, and learning German. Mostly, however, I enjoy spending time with my family.
On Teaching: One of my favorite things to do as a teacher is to ask my students questions! I like to get them thinking about math and brainstorming different possible reasons or explanations for things. Similarly, I welcome any and all questions from my students, as long as they relate to the topic on hand. I learn as much from my students as they learn from me! When teaching students new mathematical concepts, I like to present the material in a very structured and simple manner. I always check for understanding before moving on and assign plenty of problems so that the mathematical concepts are practiced and mastered.
Question & Answer
As a parent of a WTMA student, one of the things that I like best are the wonderful course offerings! There is such variety in the course offerings and the instructors are engaging, helpful, and top notch!