About Me

BACKGROUND:

My mother was my inspiration and my muse. She began her teaching career in 1949 in a one room schoolhouse in rural North Dakota. She instilled in me many important values and was a lifelong learner.

I was an inquisitive child and that sense of wonder and curiosity has never ceased to diminish. My thirst for knowledge is not limited to just one subject; I want to learn as much as I can about everything. 

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EXPERIENCE:

My two decades worth of experience as a classroom teacher has helped me to understand the role of the librarian through the lens of a teacher. I am familiar with the meetings required and listened as teachers shared their feelings about librarians. Some were supportive while others were reluctant. I found I was able to get along with almost everyone in the building due to my optimism and resilience. Even when a teacher was not quite as positive, I never let that deter me from continuing to treat them with kindness and respect.

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IN MY LIBRARY:

I have been sensitive to the needs of my students from day one. Ensuring that my library is a safe, comfortable, inclusive place where everyone feels a sense of belonging is vitally important to me. 

As a voracious reader, I have realized how reading can help build empathy. My strongest lessons when teaching were on helping students see situations from other perspectives. I plan to curate a diverse collection of materials and create displays to help students learn more about each other.

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Teaching information literacy and helping the students to become responsible digital citizens is essential. The internet is embedded in our lives, and the students need to learn how to determine the credibility of sources and how to navigate the web in an ethical manner.

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RELATED SKILLS

I started out differentiating lessons long before I heard that term. Thinking quickly on my feet has helped when students were not grasping the material. I found that I could seamlessly switch gears by teaching it from another angle, creating visuals, using analogies, or by having an open conversation with the class and listening to their suggestions and feedback.

 

I have included some testimonials from former students who overwhelmingly agree that it was my enthusiasm, positivity, and humor that they remember most.