Ever since I could hold a crayon I have been drawing the world around me. I was the creative one in the family; always crafting, drawing and marching to the beat of my own drum. Now, I use that creativity in the classroom. History must be approached in creative ways to make it accessible to all students and to get them engaged in an active learning process. The old way of memorizing names and dates has proven to be catastrophically ineffective. The pedagogy of the sciences must adapt to the way kids learn otherwise our future generations are doomed to repeat the same mistakes we and our ancestors have.

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I also am an avid reader and love to explore the world around me. I have been all over the Americas and aspire to travel the rest of the world. My experiences in adventuring help me in the classroom as I gain knowledge of culture, people and their history. Having a worldview in the classroom helps students to be more aware of different perspectives as they approach historical concepts and experiences beyond the classroom. In addition to my worldview, I am a lifelong learner. I hope to pass this on to my students, that they should always be learning, reading and doing in order to better themselves.

 

Beyond these two traits that I use to advance my efficacy in the classroom, I am an avid Red Wings fan, video-gamer and artist. I work hard so my dog can have a better life and dog hair is my glitter. I keep an open mind about music genres and enjoy a little bit of everything. My free time is spent cuddling my dog, playing disc golf or hanging with friends. 

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My goal in ten years is to be well established, but not comfortable at a school (because I must always be learning), inspiring young people to be the best they can be. I hope to have completed more of my traveling goals and to learn at least one new language.