I’m excited to be a part of Aurora because it is a community that fosters a love of learning, prioritizes social justice, and values student voice.  I am so stoked to be a part of the founding year of Aurora middle school because first of all, our inaugural group of 6th graders are just the best humans and second of all, it’s a really cool opportunity to grow a project-based learning program with an age group I enjoy working with so much.

As a progressive educator, I believe that students learn by doing, and that it is my job as an educator to empower students through modeling habits like growth mindset, listening to others, and creativity. This means that I’m constantly reflecting on and refining my own mindset and behaviors. I believe in being authentic and creating a safe space for students to be themselves. I also believe that behaviors communicate needs, so supporting students to identify their needs and how to fulfill those needs is the best form of behavior intervention. I’ve learned this in my previous experience as a school administrator creating whole-school intervention programs for math and reading, a writing workshop curriculum for seventh graders, and a whole-school positive behavior intervention and support program.  

Outside of school I enjoy spending time with my partner, my dog, and my cat. I thrive most when I make time to connect with nature through hiking, camping, or exploring new places.  My two goals for 2022 are: reading 50 books and finding my favorite taco/burrito spot in The Bay.

Middle school students excite me for their curiosity, undeniable honesty, (sometimes ridiculous) sense of humor, and ability to adapt. I am excited to teach middle school students in a school that is working hard to give them the tools necessary to become their best selves.

Creating curricula has become one of my passions. It brings me so much delight to create lessons that cultivate curiosity and joy in my students. Over my 13-year teaching career, I have had the unique opportunity to work with students aged 11 to 18. This opportunity has given me the background knowledge of the standards of the different grades; the strengths and weaknesses in each age group’s mathematical ability; and the importance of certain mathematical truths as students grow and develop as math learners. I can tell them when they are going to see it again. I work hard to keep students asking and answering the questions: What do you notice? and What do you wonder? My goal when creating a math unit is to help a student believe they can invent or discover mathematical ideas for themselves. To do this, I strive to create questions using multiple sources that students can work on collaboratively that lead them to reach their learning objectives.

Outside of school, I get to spend time with my ten-month-old daughter as she explores the world around her. We love to go on walks around the neighborhood, and we can be frequently seen crawling around one of the lawns at Lake Temescal. I love to read and am currently on a science fiction kick. I love to go on jogs and be part of a race. I’ve done 5Ks, 10Ks, relays, half-marathons, and one marathon. As slow as I am, I love to be part of a group of people trying to complete a set distance together.  

I’m excited to be a part of a progressive education community that cares about children becoming not only good learners but also good people. I’m also super excited to be a part of the team that will help Aurora grow as we create the middle school. I look forward to the successes and challenges of this new endeavor.

I also love that I get to continue to work with middle school students and to meet them where they are at—as they figure out who they are as young people. The quirkiness, altruism, and sense of humor of a  middle school student is so great!

I’m interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) because they can be used to understand the world we live in and make it a better place. We can use STEM to ask questions and learn about the complexities around us. Also, I think that creating/making is so much fun and builds a multitude of skills, such as collaboration and perseverance.

I’ve worked in both informal (science centers and nonprofits) and formal education settings for the past twenty years. I’ve loved creating new programs, learning and iterating as the programs grow. One program was at Chabot Space and Science Center, a STEM program for girls that was funded by the National Science Foundation. We designed this program to give girls the skills and confidence to explore hands-on STEM activities and learn about careers in the STEM fields. The program was replicated across the country through partner organizations such as the Girl Scouts, to bring hands-on STEM activities to more girls. I also created the Innovation Lab program at Children’s Day School in San Francisco. The Innovation Lab is a space for students to make their ideas come to life by designing, brainstorming, prototyping, testing, and iterating. All students from grades 5 to 8 take an Innovation Lab class and use the lab as resources for supporting their learning in their core classes such as humanities, science, math, and Spanish.  

I love to hang out with my family when I’m not in school. As a family, we like to spend time in nature, whether that’s hiking, camping/backpacking, or paddle boarding together. I also love to garden. In the past year, I built eight raised garden beds for my backyard and have grown tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, lettuce, radish, herbs, strawberries, onions, and beans.