About me
I am a teacher Heritage High School in Newport News, VA. I have a Masters of Arts in Teaching and a Bachelors of Science in Biology from James Madison University. I have a great love and passion for Biology and love talking about it, so feel free to just come by and chat with me.
I currently live and grew up in the Hampton Roads area of Virignia, near the water. Which has fostered my interest and love for marine biology. My mom loves to say that I wanted to be a marine biologist since the 3rd grade, which has influenced to learn as much as I can about marine biology and share it with anyone who would listen. While I was in college I also discovered an intense interest in infectious disease and the effects certain infections have on the body. If I didn't become a teacher, I would have either been a Marine Biologist or and Infectous Disease doctor.
My favorite color is yellow, and my favorite animal is the Cuttlefish! When I am not in school teaching, I also enjoy baking, sewing, and hiking or just being outside!
I currently live and grew up in the Hampton Roads area of Virignia, near the water. Which has fostered my interest and love for marine biology. My mom loves to say that I wanted to be a marine biologist since the 3rd grade, which has influenced to learn as much as I can about marine biology and share it with anyone who would listen. While I was in college I also discovered an intense interest in infectious disease and the effects certain infections have on the body. If I didn't become a teacher, I would have either been a Marine Biologist or and Infectous Disease doctor.
My favorite color is yellow, and my favorite animal is the Cuttlefish! When I am not in school teaching, I also enjoy baking, sewing, and hiking or just being outside!
MY Teaching Philosophy
My personal teaching philosophy that I plan to cultivate in my classroom is a constructivist environment, which is where the students are directly responsible for building their understanding of the content through hands on activities with the teacher as guide and facilitator. I plan to have a classroom that utilizes hands on activities and experiences, and where the typical power point presentation is at a minimum or not present at all. I also plan to have an open and accepting classroom where students feel safe to take chances and learn! In order to promote an interactive and hands on classroom I plan to implement and use technology as much as possible. I plan on using iPads and computers to conduct research, use augmented reality apps, play games, and create multimedia presentations so that my students will be able to learn, practice, and present material they have learned in a format that best suits their learning style. I also am going to use formative assessment to guide my teaching in order to provide a better education for my students. Using performance assessments will also allow my students to show what they know in alternative ways, like creating and classifying a new animal or creating a presentation for a new anti-viral drug instead of the traditional multiple-choice test. Technology will play a key role in this process because it will allow students to present or create their product in whatever format best fits their learning modality. I also have a text reminder system set up using Remind101 so that parents and students can sign up to receive reminders of important events and assignments that are due. By implementing technology and building a constructivist classroom environment, I expect my students to end the school year with a deep understanding and love for biology that they can use throughout their lifetimes.
How to Contact Me
If you need to get contact me for any reason feel free to email me at any time! I strongly believe in an open door policy and really want parents to be involved in their students learning, and so that we can be partners in your child's sucess in school!
My Email
My Email