What is your “WHY” for teaching? As a student I struggled to learn; the relevance of the content never seemed to “apply” to me, I couldn’t see the “why.” By pursuing my dream of being a teacher I knew I could lead students to a “why” by making lessons and units that impact their world, that listen to their needs, and that support their futures. As a teacher leader I want to model this way of teaching for others; I want to grow my sphere of influence and help ALL people of ALL ages feel like they’re important and that there is a WHY for us all.
What is your area of expertise? I graduated from IUPUI with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. More recently I have obtained my Master’s Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership.
What is your PBL experience? Two years ago I was introduced to PBL by taking a site visit to a PBL school. Since then I have researched, attended trainings, been apart of a PBL learning team within my school, and have completed 5 PBL units. My newest journey is taking me in the direction of PBL certification through Magnify Learning with some upcoming opportunities to travel and facilitate. I have felt success and failure all of which have lead me to continue to grow my love for what PBL has done, not just for me, but for students.
What is your favorite aspect of PBL? Easy. Student ownership. PBL gives students voice, choice, and leads them to community partners who they may never have the opportunity to meet in their lives outside of school. PBL empowers students as they are facilitated through a journey to learn about things that matter to them now, and it supports students as they develop the skills they need to be successful in their futures.
Why do you enjoy facilitating? Facilitating is teaching. I love teaching and by having the opportunity to facilitate I have the chance to build confidence in educators as I support them on their never-ending journey of learning, while also growing myself as I listen to others, and discover new ways to reach a variety of learners.