Bio
I am excited to share my passion for German with my students here at the Well-Trained Mind Academy.
My relationship with German began when I was just 16 years old and decided I would become a year-long exchange student somewhere in Europe. I was matched up with a wonderful host family in Potsdam, Germany, where I first learned German and had my first experience with a culture other than my own. When I returned to America as a senior in high school, I was a changed person. I knew that German was something that would be in my life for a long time. I went on to major in German at Drew University, where I double-minored in Linguistics and Anthropology, and studied a semester abroad in Berlin at the Freie Universität. After graduation, I won a fellowship with DAAD to continue to study Linguistics in Germany at the Humboldt Universität in Berlin, exploring the persisting dialect differences in spoken German between former East- and former West-Berliners since the Reunification.
I continued living in Berlin for several years, and then realized that the best way for me to share my love of German with others was to become a World Language teacher back in the United States. I earned my teaching certification and dove right into teaching middle school in the public school system, earning my Master’s degree in Education a few years later. Over the past 20 years, I have taught every level, from young learners in German 1A all the way to Juniors and Seniors in the International Baccalaureate program at the STEM Academy in Downingtown, PA. I live in Southeastern Pennsylvania with my loving husband, our two incredible children, our sweet dog, two cockatiels, one conure, and our 19 adorable chickens. For most of my career, I have taught German in person, but several years ago, I switched to teaching German virtually so that I could also homeschool my own kids. I loved being able to connect with students across the country through WTMA, and though I no longer homeschool my own children, teaching virtually has become a wonderful part of who I am as a teacher.
On teaching: I believe that language learning should be enjoyable and fully interactive. We learn best when we *want* to learn, and that is only possible through high quality instruction in a safe and inspiring environment. I teach as much as possible through a combination of clear explanations and fun activities, incorporating as many modalities as I can in an effort to reach each and every student. I love introducing my students to modern day young German culture in the classroom, helping my students to expand their worldview. It is that immersion in a totally new culture that shaped who I am today, and I am thrilled to be able to share some of that with you.
Question and Answer
Q: What type of student would find your class especially enjoyable or benefit the most from your style of teaching?
A:
Students who enjoy actively participating in class and are not afraid to speak will especially enjoy my class. Those who are hesitant or need encouragement will also find lots of that in my classes, and students who ask questions when they don’t fully understand something will do well. The atmosphere of my classes is generally positive and jovial, and we try to have fun with the language.
Q: What do you like about teaching students online?
A:
I love having the ability to teach students from all across the country with very different backgrounds and experiences. Each student brings their own personality and abilities to our class, and through interaction with each other we gain new experiences and learning that never would have been possible on our own. Each class has its own dynamic, often complete with class-wide inside jokes and friendships, which help to cement the language learning in fun and creative ways. I have met incredible young people through WTMA, and have been able to share my passion for German with them. I’ve helped to instill a love of language learning in so many young hearts, and that fills up my own.
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