Degrees
Experience
What do you love about teaching?
When students make a connection between what I'm teaching and real life, their eyes light up, and they become excited about learning. I love it when a student does what he thought he couldn't do. I even enjoy seeing the frustration that accompanies the student's learning process, when it leads to determination and success.
What do you enjoy most about being at AHC?
As a teacher, I love the encouraging atmosphere, the push for professional development, and the emphasis on the students. As a resident, I thoroughly appreciate the beautiful setting and the safe environmet in which to raise my children.
How did you end up becoming a teacher?
There's a funny story. When the high school began with seven students in 1987, I said that I could teach English until they found someone else. I taught the class in my living room while my baby took a nap. 20 years later, I no longer teach English on a regular basis, but I'm still here!
How do you invest in the lives of young people outside of class?
As a drama teacher, I spend many hours with students during play practices. I push them hard, and since they really want to be in the play, they like being pushed hard. Somehow the atmosphere of a rehearsal is different from a class situation, and a bond develops during play season. Because of this, I have lasting friendships with many of my former students.
Name some interesting places in the world you've visited
London and Wales
Hobbies
Reading, writing, cooking, acting
What's something random you collect?
Lighthouses, shells and sea glass
What is a stupid human trick you know how to do?
I can make weird faces. Not easy to explain.
What's the most exciting lesson you ever taught?
I took the entire high school to see live Shakespeare performed, several years in a row. I love it when students think they can't understand Shakespeare, and then they find out that they can!