Teaching is something that I’ve always wanted to do! My first classroom was run out of my home, back when I was 8 years old. I began teaching a friend how to read and write and became excited when she really did improve with my help! My mom was not thrilled when I turned our spare room into a public library and pretty much “gave away” a lot of our books. Even though much has changed since then, one thing is still the same. I still get a thrill out of teaching and helping others learn.
     My formal teaching education began when I attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, N.J. and graduated with honors. Along with my degree in education I earned a minor in psychology. I got my first teaching position as a first grade teacher at Mill Lake School, back in 1984. I quickly learned that Mill Lake was a great place to teach and express my frustrated ambitions of becoming an actress, singer, piano player, president of a corporation, coach, nurse, child psychologist, stand-up comic, motivational leader, scientist, historian, nutritionist, professional organizer, public speaker, and so many other careers! I left Mill Lake in 1994 to raise my family: Caitlin (age 27 , geologist), Steven (age 25, police officer) and Jaclyn (age 24, NICU nurse for tiny babies). During this time, I kept my teaching/educational skills sharp by tutoring, reading, instructing my own children, volunteering at church, and writing educational articles for a local magazine. Yes, I was also a pretty visible parent volunteer who would jump at the chance to teach lessons whenever possible.
     I was fortunate to be able to come back to Mill Lake School as a 2nd grade teacher in 2002 and am still currently teaching  fabulous 2nd graders and tutoring students K-4! I still feel passionate about what I’m doing and am excited to be part of such an important process – preparing our kids for the future. I strongly believe in the Golden Rule: Teaching other people’s kids the same way that I liked my own children to be taught! I am looking forward to teaching your child this 2021-2022 school year!