INSTRUCTOR PROFILE:
I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Yes, I do still cheer for the Chicago Cubs. I attended the University of Arizona in Tucson. There I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration majoring in Marketing in 1980. While still living in Tucson, I began a career in the newspaper industry as an advertising account executive. My husband and I relocated to Northridge, California in 1987 where I continued my career with major newspapers in this region. After experiencing the Northridge 1994 earthquake, we decided to head back to Arizona in 1997. We made our home in Scottsdale and have been living here in the same house for 27 years. I was hired as an account executive for a Phoenix newspaper but realized after 15 years in this industry there was something more that I needed to do. In the fall of 1999, I applied to ASU and earned a post baccalaureate in elementary education K-8 in spring 2002. While attending college, I was working as a one-on-one paraprofessional in a self-contained special education classroom for 7th grade students. It was at this moment that I realized this is what I was meant to do - working with and educating children.
After I graduated from ASU, I was hired as a 4th grade teacher in 2002 at a public school in the central Phoenix area. It was here that I established my home away from home for 20 years where there was a very strong parent community. My love for learning and teaching was one of the most fulfilling times in my life. I believe that a great learning experience for my students is to connect with them by being responsive to their interests, abilities, and understandings. I find great satisfaction in seeing students succeed and grow in self-confidence and to maintain a growth mindset. Working at an IB (International Baccalaureate) school provided me the opportunity to nurture and encourage students to wonder, question and take action. This inquiry based learning offered a curriculum that focused on the development of students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and physical well-being. I have been trained in SEL and practiced it during my tenure at this school. I attended professional training in teaching the gifted cluster program and taught these classes for over 5 years. I currently remain dedicated to children and their potential as I continue to work in the capacity as a guest teacher at the district I worked for. I retired from a full-time teaching position in May of 2022 and now enjoy working one-on-one with students in a tutoring setting. .
I have been married for 39 years and we have two adult daughters and four grandkids. I love animals, nature and science. Staying fit and eating healthy is very important to me. Reading and travel are two things I want to do more of. I enjoy spending time with my two grandsons who live here in Phoenix.
For Peak Academics, I offer study skills, general support, subject tutoring and executive functions for elementary school grades 2-4 in reading, writing, and math.
TESTIMONIAL:
Coming soon…