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Born
Cried a lot, lacked fine motor skills. Began my life of learning. -
Preschool
Entered preschool - began my "official" career in learning. -
1st Grade
Impacted by Mrs. Wilfong a caring an compassionate educator and my mom began a role in PTA which made her a presence at school a crucial part of my success. -
4th Grade
Mr. Pluta impacted me and made my year by caring for me, beleiveing in me, inspiring my creativity and igniting my passion for teaching -
6th Grade
Fist to the face and a shut up by my 6th grade teacher cemented my desire to be a better educator than he was. -
Freshman Year
Began my love for science by taking chemistry and met Mrs. Luner. She inspired my love for science, and became the measuring stick for what my career in education was going to be. Committed passionate and devoted to student success. -
Sophomore Year
Rainy football practice, cold it just plain sucked. Practice was over I was walking back when the coach told a teammate to hit me as hard as he could in my back t “toughen me up” I’ve never yelled at an adult. I follow rules but have never been so mad at an adult or set of adults (coaches) ever before in my life. I knew two things 1. this would be the only thing I ever quit in my life and 2. coaching was for me to provide one less job for jerks to be around kids. -
Junior Year
Took AP chem and became a teachers assistant. Loved science, got to grade papers, tutor students, make copies, I was in heaven. -
College Starts
Chose Webster university as my educational institution. Small school so I could be a big fish in a small pond. -
Freshman Year
Me!Met my advisor Dr. Bork. She was old, boring, dry. But you know what, she was a great educator, had an amazing heart, and she saw something in me that she found special. We were inseparable from day one. -
Sophomore Year
Had a class with my educational science mentor Bill McConnell. Bill was a physicist his room was a hot mess but he loved teaching, he loved discover and he helped shape my passion for discovery. -
Got my first "C"
The instructor needed to meet with me and Dr. Bork. She felt I was “insensitive to the needs of the exceptional individual” I made it my mission to not only always be sensitive but inspire students to not only acknowledge their disability but develop ways to compensate by using their strengths in other areas. -
Junior Year
I began a number of leadership roles that taught me how to lead a group. I became an RA/CA of a building. I was voted president of residential housing. I began to learn how to motivate others, how to care about others, and how to lead. My need to lead and my role as an educator and coach bean here. -
Senior year PART 1
I continued my roles with residential housing. I was promoted to lead resident assistants and students. I began my practicum and student teaching. I volunteered coaching for Lindbergh High School. I started getting paid to coach by Kirkwood as a track coach. I was surrounded by students and teachers that cared about me and I cared about them. This was exactly what I wanted and where I wanted to be. -
SENIOR YEAR PART 2
I began my practicum and student teaching. I volunteered coaching for Lindbergh High School. I started getting paid to coach by Kirkwood as a track coach. I was surrounded by students and teachers that cared about me and I cared about them. This was exactly what I wanted and where I wanted to be. -
First Year Teacher
Cocky, arrogant, committed. Those were words I used to describe myself in my first year of teaching. I worked long hours. Committed everything I had to that job. I created close relationships to families. I created strong bonds with colleagues. I felt I knew everything there is to know and didn’t need to learn anything. Oh how little did I know. -
Welcome to the Real World!
I spent the year with the assistant principal that hired me, Jan Kellerman. She mentored me, cared about me as a teacher, as a professional,, but most importantly as a person. I was profoundly impacted by her leadership and the leadership she saw in me. We journeyed together with a group of teachers to Oklahoma city. We were there to learn about a high school that was completing a program called “High Schools that Work.” Through learning about that program I al -
More learning...
Started my masters. I met Jack Jordan. He was a former principal and someone who beleived in me. We met for breakfast a number of times at Waffle House, talked about school and life topics. It was a great mentorship. I learned a ton and loved the balance of leading, learning and teaching. -
Starting a new chapter.
I have been coaching at one school and teaching at another. It wasn’t enough for me. A position opened in Kirkwood but it was middle school. I applied and was hired. I continued learning and working on my masters, poured myself into my job and did everything I could to adapt my style of teaching to a whole new set of expectations. -
Found a Mentor
I met Bob Dillon. No not the singer. He was the assistant principal at Nipher Middle School. He has by far had the largest impact on me as a learner and leader. He asked me tougher questions than anyone has ever asked me. He invited me to meet new people and discussion problems in grading, assessment, and classroom management. He inspired me to lead within the building and challenged me to be a better teacher than I was. -
I Passed!
Passed the test. I completed my certification assessment, started looking for an administrative position. Many were open, none were filled by me. -
Found never ending Professionl Development
Why educators use twitter The number on spot I go to learn, grow, ask question and gathr new resources an ideas. Twitter i the single greatest resource to develop me as a professional. I began tweeting. -
Becoming a systems thinker.
In December I attended a systems thinking conference sponsored by the Ritenour school district. Here I began to learn about how to think and how to solve problems. I bean to be challenged by people like Mary Scheetz and began to learn about a whole new way to think about what we do every day in our schools and in our classrooms. -
They said NO!
I finally got hired! After 3 years of looking for a position that had the needs to fit where I wanted to go. I still have the love of leadership but haven’t found a position or job title that would allow me to lead they way I’m capable of. I was hired, but I was not allowed out of my contract. Even though I was saddened by this. I’m throwing myself into leadership positions making opportunities to lead for myself by sponsoring a conference and leading the professional de -
Graduaton Day
Let the learning begin! -
EdcmpSTL
I'm brining a new model of learning to St. Louis and can't wait to meet new people, learn new things and grow as a leader and learner.
