ISI 2022 (aka the Personal Pain Cohort)

My first four years as an educator was as a Math Specialist, and my last 27 have been as a classroom teacher, mostly in 5th grade. I am a CA Teacher of the Year (2016), and I have been a National Board Certified Teacher (Middle Childhood Generalist) since 2002. To date, I have been a cooperating teacher to 49 student teachers from multiple local universities. I have a BA in Mathematics from UC Berkeley, an MA in Folklore and Folklife from the University of PA, and received my teaching credential from Holy Names University.

My curiosity about the process of learning how to “language” has driven my academic/professional pursuits as a college advisor in the Boston Public Schools supporting seniors in writing their personal statements, a master’s student at BU in Language and Literacy Education, and now as an English/Ethnic Studies teacher in OUSD where I get to work at the crossroads of writing, language and identity every day.

I taught for 14 years at an award-winning liberal arts college in Georgia (my alma mater), but when it was taken over by a conservative religious group, I sold our house and moved without a job to California, where I was fortunate after a year to find a home in College Writing Programs at Cal. My M.A. and Ph.D. are from the University of Georgia, where I took a good composition pedagogy course, was asked to mark and grade student essays for two wise award-winning teachers, then taught first-year composition as a TA for several years, and in 2014 I went back to school at Kennesaw State for a TESOL certificate, to better help my students who were increasingly multilingual student writers. I have translated and published classic spiritual texts, linguistic textbooks (with John Algeo), pieces in magazines, and refereed articles, and I have chopped coleslaw and fried tater tots at Mrs. Winner’s, cashiered and stocked shelves at a big-box store, volunteered at a maximum-security women’s prison, and been a reporter and photographer for a local newspaper.

I received a B.A. in Anthropology from U.C. Berkeley after transferring from Sacramento City College. My teaching credential is from Mills. I currently teach humanities at MetWest High School in OUSD.

This past fall I started a new chapter in a three decade career as an educator, teaching English to 11th and 12th graders at Castro Valley High School. Before this I taught English at the university level: in Massachusetts, Nevada, and for eight years at Cal. In recent years I have also volunteered extensively in the public schools, most notably with the Writer Coach Connection.

I’ve been teaching English at Diablo Valley College since 2001, primarily developmental-level classes (what they used to call “remedial”), and have loved it enormously…until a few years ago when a new law passed doing away with all dev ed classes. The pandemic (and online teaching) followed right afterwards, and I found myself wondering if I even wanted to teach anymore. I’ve made my way back to loving what I do, but I know my classes need some serious refurbishment—beyond the digital level.

I have been teaching, writing, coaching and generally wondering aloud for nearly 20 years in the Bay Area.

My formal education focused on English, History, Anthropology, and Education. Informally, I am fascinated with people and their stories, particularly how those stories make their way into the world.

I obtained my Master’s degree for teaching from SUNY Cortland in New York and have been an educator for the past 7 years. I have taught across various contexts and grades 6 - 12. I am a National Board Certified teacher, mentor teacher, ELD Specialist, and an ELA and multimedia literacy educator.

After escaping a nascent career in marketing, I sought a masters and credential through SFU. For the last 5 years I have taught ELA, Drama, Creative Writing and Lit, film, and Media, with a student-centered, project based approach.

I have over 15 years of experience in K-12 education in multiple states and countries focused on improving the outcomes for the most vulnerable students.

Throughout my career, I have helped students develop their creativity, take risks, and discover their voice through the power of writing.

I currently serve as the Response to Intervention Coordinator at King Middle School in Berkeley.

I am an upper elementary school teacher in Vallejo, California. Before embarking on a career in K-12, I spent the last 20 years serving in the US Air Force as a clinical microbiologist and Clinical Lab Science Educator (didactic and within the section). During my Air Force career I earned a MAEd in Adult Ed & Training, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership through Drexel University.

I strive to be a forever student and hope to work in education for all of my life. Since my first workshop facilitation as a teenager, I have worked as a poetry workshop facilitator, classroom teacher, education researcher, and more.

Before I was a classroom teacher, I was a poet and domestic violence advocate: writing and teaching are deeply woven into the fabric of who I am. I currently work as the 10th grade English teacher at Leadership Public Schools Hayward, where I’ve had the opportunity to learn and grow alongside my sophomores. Outside of teaching and writing (or trying to), you can find me tackling new problems at the rock climbing gym and curating a sick collection of frozen dinners.

I started off teaching at the elementary school level, but for the past four years have worked as an ELD teacher in high school. About four years into my career, I went for an M.F.A in Creative writing. Since then, I have continued in education while also writing fiction.

Education, language, and all things expression pop the batteries in my back and get me going. I am a teacher (12 years) and a learner (lifetime) always trying to: document my thinking, see and explain my connections, and share all the results (good and bad) of following my curiosity. Life is art, and inspiration is everywhere.

I am a long-time resident of Berkeley, California and I teach high school English at an independent school in the East Bay. I hold a B.A. in English, an M.A. in English literature and an M.A. in Educational Leadership. During my 25 year career as an educator, I have worked as a teacher and an administrator. I am currently completing my Ed.D at Mills College.

I have been a teacher for 23 years, working in Chicago, suburban Detroit, San Francisco, and now in Albany. I have taught several different grades and subject areas in elementary and middle school. I am a National Board Certified Teacher in the area of English as a New Language.

I studied theater and literature at DVC and SFSU. I received my master’s degree and teaching credential in English at Mills College. I have worked in everything from preschools to high schools. I’ve taught writing to 3rd graders, junior high schoolers, and high schoolers. This is my ninth year teaching full time high school at Ygnacio Valley High in Concord where I have taught everything from: English, ELD, AVID, Puente, and Drama.