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About Me
About Me
I have been teaching at Elderberry Elementary for seven years. During that time, I have had the opportunity to teach reading intervention (K-6) and kindergarten through third grade. Each experience has shaped my teaching philosophy and taught me that students thrive when we believe in their abilities and give them meaningful challenges. Most importantly, I have learned the value of creating opportunities for students to do hard things. When given the chance, students rise to the challenge and are often the very best people to support their peers’ learning. I believe my role as a teacher is to create space for and facilitate these meaningful learning experiences.
One of the greatest influences on my teaching has been studying the science of reading. Learning how reading shapes our brains, builds empathy, and is, in my opinion, the greatest invention in human history has had a tremendous influence on my teaching. Some of my favorite books on the science of reading are Proust and the Squid and Reader, Come Home. Studying the science of reading has also deepened my appreciation for children's literature.
There are so many incredible classics in children's literature that every student should have the chance to read. At the same time, there are countless new books that spark curiosity and excitement for reading through fun, imaginative, and beautifully written stories. Because of this, building my classroom library has become one of my favorite hobbies. I hope it inspires students to become lifelong readers who love discovering and sharing great stories.
My classroom library began with a generous donation from a retired teacher. Since then, I have carefully expanded it by collecting books from library sales, thrift stores, used bookstores, and anywhere else I can find gently loved books. Every addition is chosen with my students in mind, and I love knowing that each book has the chance to bring joy to the students in my classroom.
When I'm not teaching, you can usually find me reading a good book, enjoying a matcha, walking my corgis, playing disc golf, or going to the movies with my family.
This is a quick way for me to record how students perform on each cool down. A 2 means the student answered fully and correctly, a 1 means the student demonstrated partial understanding, and a 0 means the answer was incorrect. I also jot down a few brief notes about common misconceptions or errors I notice. This allows me to quickly identify patterns, strategically address misconceptions in upcoming lessons, and remember which students may benefit from additional support or small-group instruction.
These are the Wonders Sound-Spelling Cards in slide format. During the first few weeks of school, I spend about five minutes at the beginning of our writing block reviewing and practicing the cards with students. As we use the Write From the Beginning curriculum, I intentionally model how I use my knowledge of the sound-spelling cards to sound out and spell unfamiliar words. Over time, students become comfortable referring to the cards independently when they are unsure how to spell a word. Building a strong understanding of these sound-spelling patterns early in the year greatly improves students’ spelling and confidence as writers throughout the school year.
This is the slide deck I use at the beginning of the school year to teach students about reading stamina and establish our reading routines. It explains how our classroom library works, why reading is so important, and how the AR program works in our classroom. We revisit the information periodically throughout the year to reinforce our reading expectations and celebrate students’ growth. I also use the AR program to give fun awards and recognize students for meeting different reading goals, helping motivate students to build strong reading habits and develop a love of reading.
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