 | | Rock-climbing in Ely |
My life as a scientist began with an upbringing in a bird-watching,
tree-hugging family. In college, I became a biology major
serendipitously when I took cellular and molecular biology to meet
pre-med requirements. After a few class periods, I was hooked. Ever
since, I have felt curious, enlightened, and awed by the workings of
the living world.
My life as an educator also began
unintentionally, when I volunteered time at St. Joseph's Home for
Children. As a premedical student, I hoped to work with nurses;
 | | At the base of a big tree in Kawai |
instead, I was asked to teach piano to kids living at St. Joe's. The
five years that I taught at St. Joe's were rich with meaning and
experiences that opened my heart to the world of teaching.
Open
School was the birthplace of my passion for teaching. In 2000, Julie
Doble invited me to volunteer in her classroom. Working with Julie
convinced me that education was my destiny! When Julie retired from
teaching secondary science in 2006, I was honored by Open School's
choice of me as her successor.  | | On the Pacific Coast |
I love working at Open School because
of the vibrant community of intellectual and cultural diversity, the
outstanding staff, and the creative atmosphere that enables deep
learning.
I have also taught at Creative Arts High School in the
St. Paul Area Learning Center, where I started the first Advanced
Placement program in a Minnesota alternative high school.
In my
spare time, I enjoy knitting, making music, hanging out with my husband
and our three cats, and traveling to ecosystems with interesting flora.
|
