Inspiration ....

I have always been interested in the relationship between knowledge and skill. Years ago, I was a young mother and a part time student. I took a trigonometry class and around Halloween I also sewed my daughter a witch's costume. One day I was doing my homework, following the formula to put a cone into a sphere. I realized that the witch's hat I was sewing was also inserting a cone into a sphere! I abandoned the pattern and used the formula to layout the garment pieces with great success. It fit! My experience generated an enthusiasm for the opportunities in education in which students apply knowledge and develop skill. My interests took me down the path of career and technical education (CTE).  Much of my career has been in that space, and my research has centered around CTE as a system, extracurricular skill development programs, and the application of life skills through expressive therapy (hands on) experiences.

However ....

My career, however, is not a linear progression from start to finish. I have been on a somewhat winding path, shaped in large part by parenting. In that time I learned a lot about youth development, even if I wasn't working as a teacher. I found that much of my children's development came from out-of-school activities where they participated in sports, travel, 4-H, and ballet.

Along the way ...

I've done a lot of knitting and sewing myself, and taught my children those skills too. Those personal experiences set the stage for my coursework. My scholarship focused on issues related to CTE and public pedagogy.