Q. What inspired you to become a teacher?
A. "My Oldest Daughter"
Q. How do you engage with students who might be struggling in or out of the classroom?
A. "By making personal connections with them so that I can help them believe in themselves."
Q. Can you share an example of a particularly challenging teaching experience and how you overcame it?
A. "Moving to STEM Lab was extremely difficult for me. I really loved the students and families at my previous school and leaving them was very difficult for me. Also, learning PBLs, engineering and still having to teach everything else was a huge learning for me. I overcame this by having an amazing teammate, Ms. Basile, and amazing support from the administration. They believed in me and that made all the difference."
Q. In your opinion, what are some of the biggest challenges facing the education system today?
A. "Education is riddled with processes and procedures that were built on principles from half a century ago. In order to truly provide education that impacts all students, the mindset of "that's how we've always done it" has to be eliminated. There are also systemic problems with the lack of master teachers in schools with highly impacted students."
Q. How do you foster a positive and inclusive classroom environment?
A. "I make sure that all those I serve know that I care about them as individuals and in the end, all I want is for everyone to be a good human and feel supported. The rest of education will follow. I also foster an environment where we celebrate our differences and take time to get to know the different cultures in the room/building."
Q. Can you share a memorable experience you had with a student that reaffirmed your love for teaching?
A. "A student I taught my first year at STEM was a very reluctant learner who hated school. I made a connection with this student and she blossomed into a an amazing learner who learned to persevere thought her learning struggles. Now she is up for academic awards in high school and is a shining example of what can happen when someone believes in you and you believe in yourself."
Q. What is your favorite thing the PTO does for the school and what can we do to better serve the STEM Lab community?
A. "The color run! and I really don't think they can do much more. They support every aspect of the school form funding to making staff feel appreciated and supported. I really can't express the amount of gratitude that I feel for STEM Lab's PTO. They are all ROCK STARS!!!"
