About+me


 * __Personal Statement__**

**AP, IB, Pre-AP and Conceptual Physics teacher** My path to being a Physics teacher has been convoluted from its inception: I had a prenatal interest in knot theory and succeeded in tying off my umbilical cord. Since then I have graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Astronomy, bicycled cross country for three years and over 14,000 miles, earned my professional ski and snowboard instructor certification, and made the Dean’s list while studying for my MEd at City University in Seattle. Until I gate crashed a job fair and accidentally got hired to teach in Egypt. I have taught in Egypt, Turkey, California and Massachusetts. In addition to building and refurbishing physics programs, I have developed curricula and instruction for Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science and Math. While earning my Physics and Geosciences Professional Clear credential, I have also become NCLB Highly Qualified and certified in Bilingual Cross Cultural Language and Academic Development, Gifted and Talented Education, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Physics. Higher education is challenging; therefore, a student in high school must be presented with challenging material and a teacher must support and help their students as they gain mastery. I also believe students have multiple intelligences, that each learns best in a variety of ways. Therefore I have a variety of best teaching practices, borrowed from colleagues, learned from students, or suggested by their parents. I bring to the classroom every resource I can, from matchbox cars to online simulations, to help my students achieve their best.

including split-level instruction || Single subject – science – Physics Single subject – science – Earth Science ||
 * ** EXPERIENCE: ** || ** FIELDS OF CERTIFICATION: ** ||
 * Conceptual through AP & IB levels of Physics,
 * CPO, PASCO and other digital probes & software || Instruction for English learners and English language development in Physics and Earth Science ||
 * Word processing and spreadsheet applications; online multi-media and simulations ||^  ||


 * ** High School ** || ** Middle School ** ||
 * AP Physics and IB Physics || Earth Science ||
 * Physics || Physical Science ||
 * “Physics First” and Conceptual Physics || Life Science ||
 * Algebra ||  ||


 * ** EDUCATION ** ||  ||
 * BS Astronomy 1990; Univ. of MD, College Park || City University, Renton, WA; completing MEd ||

Earth Science teacher ||  ||
 * EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE: **
 * **School: Leadership Public Schools Hayward** || **Years held: FROM: 2009 TO: 2010** ||
 * Position: Conceptual Physics teacher ||  ||
 * **School: Grace Davis HS** || **Years held: FROM: 2007 TO: 2009** ||
 * Positions: AP Physics B, Advanced Physics, Pre-AP Physics,
 * **School: Tarsus American College** || **Years held: FROM: 2006 TO: 2007** ||
 * Positions: IB Physics I & II, Physics, Prep Science teacher ||  ||
 * **School: Irvington HS** || **Years held: FROM: 2001 TO: 2006** ||
 * Positions: AP Physics B, Physics, Physical Science teacher ||  ||
 * **School: San Benito HS** || **Years held: FROM: 2000 TO: 2001** ||
 * Positions: Physical Science, Algebra teacher ||  ||
 * **School: Thebes American College in Cairo** || **Years held: FROM: 1998 TO: 2000** ||
 * Positions: Physics, Earth Science, Life Science, Physical Science, Algebra teacher ||  ||


 * ACHIEVEMENTS / SPECIAL SKILLS: **
 * Achievements || Special Skills and Extracurricular Activities: ||
 * Praised by the Thebes American College in Cairo Valedictorian as the "toughest and best teacher I ever had." || IB Physics certified ||
 * ^  || AP Physics C certified ||
 * Bicycled 14,000 miles across the USA for three years. || GATE certified ||
 * ^  || Fencing Club advisor ||
 * Led ski school in instructor hours and private lesson requests while earning PSIA II certification || Astronomy Club advisor ||
 * ^  || Science Fair advisor ||
 * Grew up internationally || Science Olympiad coach ||

PERSONAL / PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS: Travel, amateur astronomy, bicycling, fencing, snowboarding & skiing, SCUBA diving, creative writing, computer programming, web development