About Me
I distinctly remember meeting with my college adviser at Eastern Illinois University back in 1994 when I had to declare an area of concentration for my elementary education major. He sat me down and told me that I was going to choose math. Then he continued on to tell me that I was going to complete 18 additional college credits to earn my middle school math endorsement. I assured him that I had no interest in teaching math, but I especially had no interest in teaching middle school math. Guess what. I took his advice, and in the summer of 1997, I was hired as the 8th-grade Math Teacher at Argenta-Oreana Junior High School. Today I look back and wonder if he was some sort of fortune teller. Not only did I love teaching math, but I also loved teaching middle school students. More specifically, I loved their energy, their spirit, their imagination, their boldness, their insecurities, their humor, and their growing independence. Some might view this as crazy. I saw it as a challenge that gave me a tremendous sense of accomplishment and a feeling of worth at the end of most days.
Fast forward to the spring of 2005 when I was asked to take a 4th-grade self-contained classroom teaching position at the elementary school where my incoming kindergartener daughter would be attending. It was too good of a scenario to pass up. I spent the next six years teaching 4th-graders while also developing a passion for the growing field of educational technology. During those years I also co-founded an educational consulting company that specializes in delivering high-quality, practical professional development to teachers. This company is Recess TEC. You can learn more about it at www.recesstec.com. Not only was I able to grow as an educator during this time in the classroom, but I was also learning many new strategies while preparing for conference presentations and professional development sessions.
In 2011, I was asked to fill the role of Director of Technology for the same K-12 district where I had been teaching since 2005. This opportunity was challenging and rewarding as the school district had grown from a low-level of technology integration to one that fully embraces the use of technology for the ins and outs of every facet of the school day. After I transitioned the district over to G-Suite for Education, I felt it necessary to pass the Level 1 and Level 2 Google Certified Teacher Exams, as well as to become a Google Certified G-Suite Trainer. These goals I accomplished in the spring of 2018.
During the fall of 2019, my daughter transitioned to college life as a freshman at the University of Alabama. My husband and I found ourselves with an opportunity of a lifetime as empty-nesters. We took a leap of faith, quit our jobs, and spent the year traveling. You can see the blog my husband used to memorialize our "500 Days of Fun", here. When COVID interrupted our year of travel, I decided to apply for a position with the New Berlin School District as their Librarian/Media Specialist. It was a perfect way for me to combine my love of books and technology. Even though we started the year in remote and now hybrid instruction, it has been a fantastic year getting to know the staff and students in New Berlin. Go Pretzels!
Fast forward to the spring of 2005 when I was asked to take a 4th-grade self-contained classroom teaching position at the elementary school where my incoming kindergartener daughter would be attending. It was too good of a scenario to pass up. I spent the next six years teaching 4th-graders while also developing a passion for the growing field of educational technology. During those years I also co-founded an educational consulting company that specializes in delivering high-quality, practical professional development to teachers. This company is Recess TEC. You can learn more about it at www.recesstec.com. Not only was I able to grow as an educator during this time in the classroom, but I was also learning many new strategies while preparing for conference presentations and professional development sessions.
In 2011, I was asked to fill the role of Director of Technology for the same K-12 district where I had been teaching since 2005. This opportunity was challenging and rewarding as the school district had grown from a low-level of technology integration to one that fully embraces the use of technology for the ins and outs of every facet of the school day. After I transitioned the district over to G-Suite for Education, I felt it necessary to pass the Level 1 and Level 2 Google Certified Teacher Exams, as well as to become a Google Certified G-Suite Trainer. These goals I accomplished in the spring of 2018.
During the fall of 2019, my daughter transitioned to college life as a freshman at the University of Alabama. My husband and I found ourselves with an opportunity of a lifetime as empty-nesters. We took a leap of faith, quit our jobs, and spent the year traveling. You can see the blog my husband used to memorialize our "500 Days of Fun", here. When COVID interrupted our year of travel, I decided to apply for a position with the New Berlin School District as their Librarian/Media Specialist. It was a perfect way for me to combine my love of books and technology. Even though we started the year in remote and now hybrid instruction, it has been a fantastic year getting to know the staff and students in New Berlin. Go Pretzels!