I have always loved the English language, and received my BA in Creative writing from CU Boulder. It wasn't until I worked as a paraprofessional for elementary students with learning disabilities that I knew for sure I wanted to be a teacher, so I went back to school for a BS in Secondary English Education to bring my love of English and teaching together. Currently, I am also working on my MA in Literacy Studies at CU. I previously taught 11th and 12th grade in North Dakota, and I am so excited to begin a new adventure teaching and learning with the amazing 7th grade students at Quist!

My favorite novel is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; I have read it almost every year since the first time when I was in 7th grade. The descriptions and characters are so vivid that the imagined world comes alive. Reading opens doors to new worlds: sci-fi, fantasy, historical eras, different lands and cultures. I strive to help my students discover what stories give them access to the worlds they want to explore. Helping my students discover how to write about their own lives and worlds, both real and imagined, is one of my favorite parts of teaching.

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you." Walt Whitman