At which school in the district do you teach?

I teach at the Stroudsburg Middle School.

 What subject(s) do you teach?

I teach Math, Science, and Social Studies.

What grade (s) do you teach?

5th grade.

How long have you been teaching at SASD?

I’ve been teaching in Stroudsburg for 22 years and taught in Pocono Mountain for 5 years before that.

What is one important lesson you have learned as an educator?

That the most important thing I can do is to know my students. Being able to understand when they need extra support, help, a laugh, or a hug. I have 3 children of my own, so being a mom has made me a better teacher, but being a teacher has made me a tougher mom on my own kids. (Sorry, Emma, Lindsay, and Jerry).

What is your favorite part about teaching?

My students are my favorite part. Do you have any idea how awesome it is to be a teacher? Every single day, I am reminded how lucky I am. It’s a job that is so rewarding and when I see “my kids” all grown up and they STILL remember me or something about 5th grade – it just doesn’t get any better than that!

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

That all day, every day – they are worthy and that no matter what life throws at them to get back up and keep going.

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

“When one teaches, two learn” I love this quote because I learn as much from seeing my students think and ask questions as they do when they solve a problem or answer a question. They help me see different ways of thinking and looking at things differently.

How and when did you know that teaching was what you wanted to do?

Teaching is the only job I ever imagined myself doing – other than swimming with dolphins, but that was a tough job to get! I would make my siblings and friends play school in my basement – all the time. I think it’s because I liked new crayons and school supplies – now that I’m old, I guess I can say it’s because I liked helping people understand and learn new things.