How many years have you been doing your job? How many years at Riffenburgh?:
This is my TWELFTH! full year teaching. Prior to this year I taught fourth grade for 5 years, and 6 years in fifth grade here at Riffenburgh Elementary as well as literacy at Irish Elementary.
What I love most about teaching is…:
connecting with my students on the things they love and are most interested in learning.
My favorite children's book or author is...:
Its a Frog Thing, Thudwick the Big Hearted Moose and anything by Dr. Seuess. As a fifth grade teacher I enjoy books by Rick Riordan and Gordan Korman.
My hometown is...:
Mount Upton, New York ... a small town in central New York State. One blinking traffic light and lots of space to be outdoors! I also count Buffalo, NY as a hometown since I spent 13 years there. Go Bills and Sabres!
My Interests & Hobbies include...:
Skiing, wake surfing, long boarding, biking, hiking, camping, ... any outdoor activities! This past summer I improved on my wake surfing skills and love it! Skiing is by far my favorite thing to do.
About My Classroom:
Hopefully these quotes give you a sense of what I hope for my students: "If you have a dream, it is definitely achievable through hard work ..." - Carli Lloyd and "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." - Henry Ford. I really try to encourage students to use a Growth Mindset in my classroom.