Department(s)
Literature
Writing & Grammar
Education & Experience
• BA in English, SUNY Albany
• MA in English, SUNY New Paltz
• NY State Public School 6 – 12 Teaching Certification: English
• Teaching Since: 1998
• With WTMA Since: 2020
Bio
Hello! I am excited to join the Well-Trained Mind Academy. I have a MA in English, and I am a New York State certified English teacher with over twenty years of experience teaching students from middle school through college. I began my teaching career at SUNY New Paltz where I worked as a Teacher’s Assistant while I completed my graduate degree. At the time, I had no plans of becoming a teacher. Yet once I stepped into my first classroom as an instructor of Freshman Composition, I knew that I had found my vocation.
It has been a long time since my first teaching experience, but I still feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with students in order to help them develop as writers and thinkers. As I like to tell my students, “Writing is thinking. And writing is hard because thinking is hard.” Of course, the challenge is what makes it worth doing. I believe that when students master the fundamentals of writing, they gain confidence in themselves in every academic area. To this end I strive to help students achieve fluency in writing and thinking, and to understand the art of writing as a process that can be continually improved. It is essential to me that my students embrace mistakes as opportunities for learning, and that they see each draft of writing as another chance for revision.
I live in the Hudson Valley of Upstate New York with my husband and son, our dog and our chickens. When I am not teaching, reading, or writing, I enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities including hiking, gardening, and kayaking.
On teaching: My approach to teaching is rooted in considering each student’s specific set of interests, talents, and concerns. My students find that I set high standards, but through scaffolding and individual instruction I offer them the support they need in order to succeed. My goal as an instructor is to foster an environment where all of my students can feel simultaneously challenged and supported. My hope is that they enjoy the process as they develop their skills in writing and reasoning.
Teaching Sample
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 prefer active learning, where they are required to ask questions and engage deeply with the material, will find my classes enjoyable. My style of teaching is based in discussion more than lecture, and I foster an interactive environment where students will learn not just from me, but also from each other.
Q: What do you like best about WTMA?
A:
One of my favorite things about WTMA is that it is a safe space which brings together an incredibly diverse group of people. My classes are composed of students from all over the world and from all different types of backgrounds. I am consistently impressed with the level of respect my students bring to our conversations, even when they have extremely disparate viewpoints. At WTMA, we all have the opportunity to learn from each other, and I have been grateful for chance to be a part of such a vibrant community.
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