How long have you been in education?  I'm heading into my 12th year!  Two of those years were not in the traditional classroom (one year I was an online facilitator for an online university and during the 2010-11 school year I was a CADRE associate for this district and the University of Nebraska at Omaha).  For the first four and a half years, I was the journalism adviser and sophomore English teacher in a smalltown district in southeast Nebraska. Since 2004, I've been with South Sarpy.  

Which classes do you teach? This year I teach two sections of AP English Literature and Composition, one section each of Contemporary Literature (an English elective for 12th graders), English 10, Honors English 10, Forensics I (the one-act play), Forensics II (the PHS speech team), and Drama.

What do you like to read? I enjoy novels as well as creative non-fiction. I am lucky to lead two book clubs -- one here at the high school with a group of freshmen and sophomores and another at the Remington Heights Retirement Center.

Are you a writer?  Yes, I am.  I am a poet and when I took a year off from teaching I wrote a (very rough) first draft of a novel. I also wrote a play that was produced at a theater in Omaha, Nebraska in the summer of 1998.  I try to journal a little every day as well, though I do not always succeed in that goal.

Are you a speaker?  In the classroom, I am a speaker.  In one-on-one conversation, I am a speaker.  In these situations, I am a fairly confident speaker.  However, in my role as CADRE associate (last year) and DI trainer, I have been stretching myself as a speaker in front of my peers.  This is not my strength.  I am a nervous wreck! 

What is D.I.? D.I. is short for differentiated instruction or differentiation. It's an approach to instruction that can mean many different things to many different teachers. Good teachers have been teaching this way well before the term “D.I.” was ever coined. In a D.I. classroom, there will be times when different students may be engaged in different activities. This is in honor of everyone’s varied learning styles, interests, and readiness for content. Pre-assessment is a big part of this because if I don’t know where my learners are in terms of readiness, it will be impossible to differentiate effectively.  On some days all students will all be engaged in the same text or tasks.  There will be times when they can choose what’s best for them and there will be times when I choose for them based on the pre-assessment information.  There may be class periods when I work with individuals or small groups, so students may be working directly with me, or independently.  We all have gifts and talents, likes and dislikes, and a preferred learning style and I want to make sure we are honoring all of these things as well as challenging ourselves. In this classroom, we will learn from each other and at times I may be calling on students teach each other, particularly if we are exploring something that is a strength for a certain person.

Do you have other questions?  Send me a message!