With specialized training from Project Lead The Way (PLTW) and Code.org, I am currently teaching a variety of STEM courses to sixth through eighth graders. These collaborative courses include: PLTW Medical Detectives, PLTW Innovators & Makers, PLTW App Creators, and CS Discoveries. Besides teaching general sciences, I am able to develop problem solvers and thinkers through the design process. Students engage in many 21st Century skills that will benefit them throughout their life.

During this time I was a teacher of multi-age classes and looping. The focus was on improving a sense of community and increasing engagement to develop and maintain academic strategies for at-risk students. Here I used best practices from Jan Richardson, John Hattie, and more to help students see themselves as learners and build relationships that support one another.

Through grant funds, I was able to train and provide reading intervention to K-5 students. Here daily groups met to strengthen their reading skills using adaptive lessons from Reading Recovery. Through Response to Intervention, we used data-based instruction to support struggling readers.

Teaching multiple grade levels in this elementary setting has given me a strong foothold on curriculum integration, best practices, and data driven instruction. It has allowed me to continue my own learning and directly implement them in the classroom. Areas such as literacy, science, computer coding, and more. I have been on committees such as curriculum design and department chair for English Language Arts and Science.

During my four years in Algonac, I was a third grade teacher and started a Masters of Arts with Saginaw Valley State University. I worked with a great team that facilitated inquiry-based instruction in all content areas. I built a foundation of professional development that I continue to share with others to this day. From integrated science to handling difficult student/parent situations, these tools have helped me considerably in the areas of classroom management and parent involvement.

In this first teaming position, I taught Science and English Language Arts to fifth graders. I developed science curriculum, built up computer experiences for students, and collaborated with other teachers to bring awareness to the science world. Students engaged in hands-on experiments, developed research-based opinions/platforms, and shared their thinking with a wide audiance.