Mrs. Andrews

I live with my husband, youngest son, and two dogs outside Milan, MN. Our oldest son lives in Oklahoma City. One of my favorite things about living in Minnesota is the change of seasons. I love to read and learn new crafts; however, I need to be more crafty. Besides reading books that teach me to be a better teacher, my favorite type of books to read are romance and mysteries/thrillers. 

My family is active in conquering Escape Rooms, and so far, we have a perfect record of escaping. We enjoy time together, from taking local trips to watching movies and playing tabletop games. Both of my boys are big into technology and strategizing in gameplay. A perfect end of the day would be to play games and talk with my boys. Gannon has a silly, fun personality and is in the 10th grade. He looks forward to playing games with his friends and hanging out with them. Wyly graduated from North Dakota State University with a master's degree in Computer Science. He is living in Oklahoma City and is a computer programmer. So that means I will get to travel south to visit Wyly and enjoy a Krispy Kreme doughnut or two.

Being a teacher has been my dream since I was a little girl. Besides teaching, I love learning. As a special education teacher, finding ways for a student learns is significant to me. I have my master's degree in special education and continue to be a life-long learner by participating in professional development and reading professional books. I love learning! 

I love teaching and look forward to the daily challenges and rewards my students bring me. Teaching during the COVID pandemic was challenging, but I learned so much about being a better teacher and loved the connections I made with my students and their families. Stay healthy, my friends!!

Besides teaching, I am actively involved in Blackjacks Robotics as a mentor. Initially, I became a mentor to support a program that sons were involved; however, I quickly grew to love the sport. Through mentoring and teaching, I strongly believe that 21st-century skills can be universally applied to enhance thinking, learning, working, and living in the world. The skills include critical thinking/reasoning, creativity/creative thinking, problem-solving, metacognition, collaboration, communication, and global citizenship. A team highlight among many is when the Blackjacks team proved that they have and applied those skills to win and earn a spot to compete in the ultimate sport of the mind: the FIRST Robotics Championships in Houston, Texas. This marks the world’s largest celebration of science, innovation, and STEM. I was honored to travel to Houston on a school bus with the team, experiencing many FIRSTs.