I am married and have a beautiful daughter.  We have many animals in our home:  a dog, a cat, a rabbit, and many homing pigeons (my husband's hobby!).   I graduated from Bentley College in 1984 with a degree in Computer Information Systems.  I worked in industry from 1984 to 1999.  In 1995, I decided to pursue another career, teaching.  I enjoyed the rewards that I felt when I volunteered at my daughter's school and decided that I was in the wrong profession.  I started a Masters of Elementary Education program at Gordon College.  In May of 2003, I will complete my program.  I've been teaching at Witchcraft Heights since 1999 and I am enjoying the many challenges that I face in my classroom each day.

My philosophy of education is centered on the student.  I believe the student must be placed before all else in the curriculum.  Every student's emotional, academic, and physical needs must be met in order for learning to occur.   It is my responsibility as an educator to ensure that every one of my students is happy, content, and at peace in the school environment.  My role is to nurture my students; make them feel comfortable, motivated, and confident.  Ensuring that all my students respect each other's opinions, questions, and ideas.

I would like to see all my students grow up into happy, productive adults, to become lifelong learners.  Teaching and modeling ways to learn how to learn is very important.  I encourage students in my classroom to ask questions.  Teacher as coach is a philosophy that enables students to define areas of learning they are truly interested. Learning must come from a student's desire to learn.  My role is to model this behavior and provide my students with the appropriate learning environment.

Technology is an essential tool in my classroom.  Technology offers teachers and students unlimited opportunities.  Technology benefits all our learners - from the physically or developmentally handicapped students to the intellectually gifted students. Technology enables classrooms across the world to share ideas, curriculum, and resources.

I believe in hands-on, real life experiences.  Students must experience first hand whenever practical. Real-life, hands-on experiences that promote creativity and questioning are more effective than a lecture-approach to education. Authentic learning and teaching is very important in my philosophy of education.  Students learn best when they are active participants in the learning process.

Problem solving and critical thinking skills are very important for students to have in all subject areas.  Connecting subjects in school with real life as well as teaching subjects thematically benefits student learning.  Students must relate math, reading, writing, and science, for example, to conduct experiments in the classroom or to solve a problem they are presented.  Helping students make these connections will provide them with essential skills necessary to make learning meaningful.

I believe in a team approach to teaching.  Working cooperatively with other teachers, parents, and administrators is critical to the success of my classroom. Effective teachers must rely on the ideas, reflections, and criticism of others to improve on methods and lessons. Teachers must be committed to being lifelong learners.  There are many changes proposed in education today, teachers must stay abreast of the current educational topics.   Keeping parents involved with the learning that goes on inside my classroom is also critical to the success of the learning environment.

Thank you for taking the time to read my teaching philosophy and my short biography.