Sarah's Page

Hi! I am originally from Portland, Oregon, but I currently live in Olympia, Washington. I teach fully online Spanish courses for Everett Community College.

One thing you should know about me is that I am an innovator. Several years ago I attended my college's "Innovation Academy" and since then I have been hooked on trying new things in teaching. I like to ask questions like "What if we tried...?" and "How would it work if we ....?" I really value collaborating with other language teachers and I look forward to working with you this summer.

A key idea or experience that has significantly influenced my philosophy of teaching and/or learning is learning about online course design. There was a time that I would have said that teaching a language online was impossible (or at least inadvisable), but I now hold an entirely different view. Online course design for a language course requires the instructor to reexamine the "how" and the "why" of their trusted teaching methods. It requires a deconstruction and reconstruction of the concept of teaching (and learning). Through my personal course design process I have discovered a love for instructional design and a new medium for innovation.

Sarah