Georgia Teacher Certification: English 6-12
EDUCATION:
Master of Education in Adolescent and Young Adult Education—John Carroll University
Bachelor of Arts in English—John Carroll University
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“What I love the most about teaching is taking my own zeal for all things ELA and sharing that with students. It’s one of the best feelings in the world to take something a student may not have previously altogether enjoyed and instilling in them a new love for it (whether it’s introducing a student to her new favorite author or helping one channel his inner grammar nerd!). My whole purpose as a teacher revolves around making these connections with students—showing them how concepts translate to the real world and to their own lives, and shedding a new light on how they are instrumental in and important to everything they could possibly ever to do. It’s an adventure every single day.
I am so very lucky to be a teacher because this profession affords me the ability to incorporate all the things I love most and really share them with the world. To be able to do that with students is even more special because now is the time to really get kids excited about self-expression and to show them how it is they can make their mark on the world by developing their own voices. It’s magic. I enjoy drawing from my experiences as a published author, and that brings a whole new facet to my classroom that I believe is unique to most and, therefore, reaches kids in a different way.
I am thrilled to be at William & Reed and to be working alongside such a fine crop of educators whose combined experience, enthusiasm, and vision are unmatched.
I’m originally from Cleveland, Ohio; I have a beagle; and I have been writing seriously for ten years. My first novel was published in June 2017."
TEACHING EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS:
William & Reed Academy
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6th-8th Grade English Language Arts (on-level and Honors)
Holy Spirit Preparatory School
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5th-8th Grade ELA (on-level and Honors)
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7th Grade Writing Workshop
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9th-12th Grade Journalism
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9th-12th Broadcast Journalism
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9th-12th Grade Yearbook
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Senior Writing Lab
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5th Grade Religion
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Coordinated Lower School and Upper School student newspapers
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Directed the Lower School musical
Kirtland High School
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12th Grade English (college prep)
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Coordinated student newspaper
Stautzenberger College
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Written Communications
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Business Writing online
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Oral Communications
Rocky River High School
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10th Grade English
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9th-12th Grade Broadcast Journalism I and II
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Moderated the Creative Writing Club
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Coordinated the student literary journal, Driftwood
St. Ignatius High School
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9th Grade English and Honors 11th Grade English (under Rich Fujimoto)
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Assisted with the student literary journal, Vista
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RELATED EXPERIENCE AND ACCOLADES:
Novelist with Grand Central Publishing, Freelance Writer/Editor, Write adult and young adult fiction as well as articles for publication, Speak at writers conferences around the country about journalistic writing, grammar/formatting, editing, and social media, Coordinated an online network of writers, The Write-Brained Network, Organized writing workshops (The WB Network Workshop in 2010 in Virginia and the Broadleaf Writers Association 1st annual conference September 2016 in Atlanta), Contributed to Writer’s Digest Books (an imprint of F+W Media) by interviewing literary agents and authors for the Guide to Literary Agents blog as well as various print publications.