At which school in the district do you teach?

Stroudsburg Middle School.

What subject(s) do you teach? 

Life Science.

What grade (s) do you teach? 

Grade 7 .

How long have you been teaching at SASD? 

16 years. 

What is one piece of advice you would share with your students?

Don’t get caught in the trap of comparing yourself to others.  Let go of unnecessary pressure.  Your energy is better spent developing your own unique interests and talents.  As long as you are true to yourself, things always work out in the end. 

What is your favorite quote and what does it mean to you?

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.

-Margaret Mead

I just really like this quote.  It means different things to me at different times. While it is a wonderful thing to be proud of who we are, it’s even better when we can appreciate others for who they are as well.  Life gets way more interesting when we can celebrate our diversity.

This quote also helps me to remember that, as a teacher, I need to strike a balance between recognizing every student for the unique gifts that they bring to the classroom without compromising the common goals of the broader community.  

Why did you choose the subject that you teach?

Because it’s the most fascinating course in school, of course!

What could be more important, more relevant, more meaningful, or more profound than the study of how LIFE works? I am still awed by the simplicity of the blueprint that creates the most complex biodiversity on Earth.  It never gets boring to me!