When I was in second grade, my teacher asked me to draw a picture of what I wanted to be when I was older. I drew a teacher. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was following in my grandmother’s footsteps. While a sophomore at the University of Illinois, I volunteered to teach German to fourth graders and as they say, “The rest is history.” Teaching has become a part of who I am.  While encouraging each student to reach his or her fullest potential, I also want to cultivate their love of learning as my teachers did for me.

I have enjoyed teaching students in the Gifted Education Program since 2004. Prior to that, I taught fifth and sixth grades for ten years. I have endorsements in gifted education, language arts, science, and social studies, math, and a minor in German.  I graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and from Aurora University with a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I have continued my education with more than 40 hours of graduate coursework, including over 26 graduate credit hours in gifted education.