About Me 2022
Born and raised in Southern Alberta, I come from a long line of farmers. Being in the fourth or fifth generation in this area gave me a secure sense of belonging and responsibility towards my community. I attended Cardston High school, then immediately went to get my teaching degree at the University of Lethbridge. Before I could finish, I got married and took a break in my studies to raise my family. I have four energetic, loving, smart (I could go on) little boys. They may get taller than their mother, but they will always be my little people. I have had the great pleasure of returning to school full time in 2019 and finishing my dream of becoming a teacher.
My experiences as a mother of four boys have taught me that, as a teacher, I need to always remember that "that kid," you know the one. The one who talks too much, doesn't pay attention in class, and doodles on their math test is still a child who needs love, acceptance, and accountability as they learn how to learn.
Over the years, I have many opportunities to fit teaching into my life in unofficial ways. I worked for the University of Calgary Family Housing department from 2006-2010. During those years, I created, organized, supervised, and implemented a community preschool program. The program won an award for being the best resident program of the year. I have participated in cooperative or home-based preschools for each of my four boys when they were little. I have also taught children, teenagers, and adults at my church during Sunday school. Teaching children music is one of the joys of my life.
Music is a hobby that makes me happy, so much so that I organized a singing group just for the fun of it! We met every Monday for four years and performed at the old folks' homes nearby. I have been in choir and music groups most of my life and participated in musical theater in high school.
During my years away from school, I tackled the challenge of starting and running my own business, "The Mop and Broom" cleaning company. I love the creativity required in inventing a name, marketing, and advertising. I loved working with my employees to create a great working environment and with my customers to make sure they were cared for.
I majored in Fine Arts in university and have a great love of art history and architecture. I recently had the opportunity to take a digital art studio class and found a passion for this kind of technology. I would love to implement that knowledge in my classroom to help students use art in real-life settings and learn to go beyond the page.
My interests include hiking, camping, reading, gardening, creating art, watching BBC documentaries, and making people groan with epic puns.
I truly believe that being a teacher is not a career path; it's a personality trait. From a young age, I have known that teaching and connecting with children is part of who I am