I was born and raised in Arizona. My degree is in Dual, Special Education and Elementary Education with a specific background in multiage classrooms.

Multi-age is more than just different grade levels in the same classroom. It is the centering of all education on the student as a whole, not just their grade level. There will be students performing at a much higher level than their peers just as there will be students who need just a bit more help to get them up with their same grade classmates. All abilities are accepted into our room.

Our classroom is one of individuality where most everything occurs in small groups with centers happening simultaneously. I try to engage all students from the most struggling to the highest achieving. Through multiage and small groups, this is possible. My target is not to frustrate nor to bore, but to really challenge, through highest expectations, these students to make real progress and have real understanding of the concepts presented.

As an educator I feel it is more important to foster creativity and problem-solving techniques into our children than just the standards. Throughout their lives they will encounter situations in which they will face concepts, ideas, and problems where they will have to use more than factual knowledge to find the solution. It is my goal to help guide these students to become critical thinkers and enjoy the challenge of finding answers instead of me handing them out. I am the guide of the class, I am not the sage on the stage. The children will drive their learning and understanding while I hide the standards into their learning. The best way I have found to put it is: My class is standards-derived but child-driven.