Experience Summary
Upon completing my degree in Marketing at Notre Dame and after internships in the banking and advertising agencies, I knew the corporate world was not for me. I took a position in the development office of a private high school in Philadelphia. Working there for three years, I was passionate about raising money for education, but realized I would prefer to be in a classroom rather than an administrative office. I moved to a small town in New Jersey, where I found a job teaching Math to 5th-8th graders. Teaching middle school was a challenge I embraced. My goal was to build the students’ confidence and help them enjoy math. I spent two wonderful years there, learning much in the process myself. In the fall of 2007, my husband was transferred to the Coast Guard Station in Clearwater, FL. In January, 2008 I began a new teaching job at Academy Prep in Tampa- again teaching Math, including Algebra I, to the 5th-8th grade girls.
Teaching Style
One of the reasons I liked math when I was a student myself was because there is always one right answer. However, what I love to teach my students is that there are always multiple ways to find that answer. I often demonstrate several ways to solve a problem and look out at my students and see their “light bulbs” go off at different points of the lesson. Because children all learn differently and at different speeds, I think it is important to take the time to expose them to various methods of problem solving. In middle school, I believe it is crucial to give students all the tools they need to be critical thinkers. I also focus on teaching organizational skills and practical applications of concepts.