Testing the wind, hiking volcanoes, feeling the power of water and running sled dogs. Being outdoors.
I'm from the North Coast of Scotland I can't help but love being outdoors and testing the waters. I try to bring this love and curiosity of the world around us into the classroom and to encourage your child to continue being curious about the world around them, as they engage in the joyful and sometimes serious business of learning. Knowledge is power; the ability to think deeply, and communicate those ideas, can make a difference in the life experiences of those around us, near and far.
I have three adult children who began their education in the UK and completed their studies locally in Riverview School District, Bellevue Community College, and the University of Washington. Of course there was a large dollop of outdoor activity too! My two eldest are working in Research and Development, one in aeronautics and the other in genetics. My youngest has produced three wonderful little grand babies for me to love, spoil, and hand back when they get cranky!
Before teaching children I was a photographer, a textile designer, and a swim instructor/coach. After gaining a UW BA in Culture Literature and the Arts summa cum laude with a minor in Education, and my Teaching Certification in 2004, I began teaching children. Between being chosen to travel to China, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, completing a Summer in Life Sciences at the Howard Hughes Institute and gaining a Masters in Education, I have continued coaching adults and guiding sea kayak tours on the Norwegian fjords in the summer. I did take time out to spend five months in the Norwegian Arctic to dog sled guide too! Experiencing the Aurora Borealis as part of my job did spoil me for office locations. After gaining an endorsement in ELL to add to my multiple years of teaching in classrooms, from 1st through 8th grade, I'm delighted to be working with children at Briarwood Elementary as the Multilingual Learner Teacher.
I have three adult children who began their education in the UK and completed their studies locally in Riverview School District, Bellevue Community College, and the University of Washington. Of course there was a large dollop of outdoor activity too! My two eldest are working in Research and Development, one in aeronautics and the other in genetics. My youngest has produced three wonderful little grand babies for me to love, spoil, and hand back when they get cranky!
Before teaching children I was a photographer, a textile designer, and a swim instructor/coach. After gaining a UW BA in Culture Literature and the Arts summa cum laude with a minor in Education, and my Teaching Certification in 2004, I began teaching children. Between being chosen to travel to China, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, completing a Summer in Life Sciences at the Howard Hughes Institute and gaining a Masters in Education, I have continued coaching adults and guiding sea kayak tours on the Norwegian fjords in the summer. I did take time out to spend five months in the Norwegian Arctic to dog sled guide too! Experiencing the Aurora Borealis as part of my job did spoil me for office locations. After gaining an endorsement in ELL to add to my multiple years of teaching in classrooms, from 1st through 8th grade, I'm delighted to be working with children at Briarwood Elementary as the Multilingual Learner Teacher.