I taught intermediate grades for 22 years and wrote for my district’s language arts department. I eventually left teaching because I wanted more time with my own kids before they grew up and left home.
Good call, apparently. So far, three out of four have moved out of state. I now fill the empty nest by writing curriculum for children who do not live in my house.
I love birds. Like, stop-mid-sentence-because-there’s-a-bird-at-the-feeder love birds. I have two bird cameras and spend more time thinking about what the birds eat than what I do.
I love history.
I love inquiry.
I love helping students understand that history isn’t just a collection of dates and famous names. It’s also the story of whose voices were heard, whose voices were ignored, who had access to power, and how ordinary people can still work to create a more just world.
I love taking a painfully boring standard and thinking, “Okay, but how could kids actually DO something with this?”
I love this life of mine so much that I can happily spend an entire day creating. One of my favorite messages to get from a teacher is: “Would you make something for…?”
Yes. The answer is almost always yes.
I may already have 14 other things open, but please tell me more.
