Hello,
a bit about me:
I grew up in a small town in Michigan. I have lived near the same area for my entire life except for when I attended MSU and lived on campus- Go Green! I am part of a close-knit immediate family including my parents, one sister, one brother, and our small dog named Ellie. I also get to be the aunt of four awesome kiddos.
My favorite pastime is spending time with family and friends. I enjoy swimming in our pool, traveling around the country, and
attending live music events. My favorite season of the year is summer because it is when I get to do the most traveling! Two of my favorite places I have traveled so far are Colorado and Rome, Italy.
When I'm not outside or traveling around, you can find me watching movies or listening to music!
Ever since I was in early elementary school, I had the dream of one day becoming a teacher. As a young child, I would play "pretend school" with my friends. My fascination for learning and teaching led me to take courses in high school that would put me on the right path. I took classes such as Child Psychology and Early Childhood Development during which I learned how to create lesson plans and worked with young children on a daily basis.
As a college student, I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education at Michigan State University (MSU). Following graduation, I completed MSU's Teacher Preparation Program as a student-teaching intern in a first grade classroom in Okemos. Following the internship, I was able to obtain a full time teaching position in a first grade classroom for the same district, Okemos Public Schools. After completing my first year of teaching first grade at Bennett Woods Elementary, I was able to return to the building that I completed my internship at, Hiawatha Elementary. Hiawatha became my second-home for three years and I thoroughly enjoyed working with so many wonderful colleagues, families, and students during my time there.
Future Plans
During my time as a first grade teacher, I returned back to MSU to complete my Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program with a Language Arts teaching major. I began the master's program during my internship year and returned back to the program following my second year of teaching, in the summer of 2017. Work-life balance is something that is extremely important to me, so I spread out my courses and completed the program over a two year period.
During my time as a first grade teacher and graduate student, I made the decision to transition from a first grade teaching position to a position as a reading specialist. My future plans include moving out of Michigan to be closer to family and seek out new opportunities that will best fit my new skill set as a Language Arts teaching major.