About ME:
I am so excited to jointhe Chesterbrookfamily and to be teaching STEM this year! I'd like to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about me. I am from Michigan and have been in Raleigh for five years with my husband and our two boys. My oldest son willbe a 4th grader this school year and my youngest will be 4 years old soon. My love of kids and teaching starts with them! Our family wouldn't be complete without our cat, Bijou and fish, Zippy!
I earned my B.S. degree in Environmental Science and Hydrogeology from Central Michigan University and for over 12 years I worked in the environmental science and geotechnical industries. I have worked for major corporations as well as small businesses,but my favorite time was my volunteer work at a few elementary schools here inRaleigh! It stirred my passion and opened my eyes to the rewarding opportunity teaching provides. I quickly realized that my experiences, together with my love of teaching, offer a unique opportunity to showto our kiddos the fun side of science and how we use it inour everyday lives.
I look forward to our time together this year - be ready for fun!
The STEM Curriculum:
Ourcurriculum will be exciting! It is based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and blended approach. TheSTEM program will focus on the scientific method and how it can be applied to everyday life. A large part is also an awareness of STEM fields and occupations – there are so many opportunities for our young scientists. The goal is to pique students' interest into them wanting to pursue the courses, not because they have to, but because it’s fun and interesting! The class will be split into two separate sections with one focus on the science aspect and the other will be more technology - with the goal of the units tocorrespond to one another.
Remember, discovery can be a messy en devour so be prepared! Closed toe shoes and other cold/warm weather gear may be needed for our outdoor adventures. I've updated my calendar with the upcoming STEM class schedule. Please note that it is subject to change and I will update as needed - including times that we will be heading to the Science Center (weather dependent). Thank you!