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Education is constantly evolving to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's students. Teaching practices, student interests, and brain science are some of the things that affect the way we teach and students learn. Since teaching and learning needs to keep up with these elements, changes need to be implemented in an effective and concise manner. To this end I am currently working on my dissertation to finish up my doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. I chose to pursue this degree because I wanted to be able to affect our students learning on a broader scale than just in the classroom. With the training that I have received through the coursework from this degree program, I have become more cognizant of the effective ways to affect change in a learning community.
I started my career in education after many years in previous careers. I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in telecommunications and worked in the broadcast industry for over ten years. I was behind the scenes in programming and production, as well as in front of the microphone. I enjoyed this work very much but felt that I had something else to give; I wasn't affecting the lives of people for the better. I needed something more. In my quest for something more, I had the opportunity to work for a family-owned pet supply store. My interest in animals is very keen and I found that I had the opportunity to educate people on the care and benefits of pet ownership. During my tenure as manager of several of the family's stores, I started several programs with local schools and libraries, educating students on animals, both domestic and wild, about their care, habitats, and vulnerabilities. After implementing these programs and teaching children for ten years, I realized that I had found, to a small extent, what I was looking to do: teach children. I decided to take the leap and go back to school, get a masters in elementary education, and begin making the world at least a little bit better by teaching children every day, not just a couple times a month. I have been doing this for 10 years now and continue to feel fulfilled by knowing that in a positive way, I am affecting the lives of children. |
Schools Attended
Universities Wilkes University • Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA EdD Candidate (currently working on dissertation) • Educational Leadership 2011 to Present University of Phoenix • Phoenix, Arizona, USA MAEd • Elementary Education 2003 to 2005 Michigan State University • East Lansing, Michigan, USA BA • Telecommunications 1982 to 1987 Secondary Schools Lake Orion High School • Lake Orion, Michigan, USA 1981 to 1982 Graduated American Community Schools of Athens • Athens, Greece 1977 to 1981 Commonwealth School • San Juan, Puerto Rico 1975 to 1977 Primary School Parkville Elementary School • San Juan, Puerto Rico 1969 to 1975 Affiliations
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Common Sense Education - Certified Educator Certified Positive Discipline Educator |