Who am I?

I am passionate about teaching and making a difference in the lives of my students.  I chose to become a teacher because I aspire to help others discover their dreams and make them happen. High school sets the stage for making the most important decisions in your life: what you're interested in, whether you're going to continue onto college or enter the work force, what your goals are, and who you are going to be as an adult. During this time, teachers can have a tremendous influence and make the difference that matters for the rest of a student's life. Thus, teaching is the perfect setting for me, and my life would be incomplete without a classroom filled with students.

my classroom
There are few things I love more than teaching in a Spanish classroom.  I believe in using the best and most effective research-based teaching methods.  This includes following the recommendations and standards set by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, including using Comprehensible Input as a primary means of instruction.  My classroom is always student-centered, interactive, and engaging.  On any given day, my students can be caught singing along with music videos, telling stories, reading, and participating in discussions in Spanish.  I also believe that nothing motivates like success, students must be engaged and active in their own learning, and I must also strive for my own continual growth as an educator.  Along with assisting students to succeed academically, one of my highest priorities is to inspire them to be excellent citizens of our community and I utilize methods to help students learn to become independent, collaborative, and contributing classroom citizens in preparation for adult life.  My teaching philosophy, methods, and strategies are aligned to achieve these goals.

MY Advocacy​
Through my undergrad experience majoring in Psychology and Spanish, I learned to see the world through perspectives other than my own. This set the stage for expanding my world view as an educator. I learned what it truly meant to try to walk in another's shoes, including students and families who live in poverty and may be homeless, those who have experienced trauma, and those whose identities are marginalized, silenced, and erased from dominant discourse. I strive to amplify the voices of all of these groups and ensure they receive equitable treatment in all arenas. My area of expertise is in LGBTQ advocacy, especially in K-12 environments. I work to support students both formally as a Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA) adviser, more informally as an educator who creates safe spaces and supports students, as a colleague to support other educators in creating safe and inclusive environments, and academically as a researcher.

MY RESEARCH​
My doctoral dissertation, titled "Ignore the Textbook: The Experiences of Transgender Including Nonbinary Students in Spanish Language Courses," investigated how the binary and heteronormative nature of Spanish language and culture impacted trans Spanish students. I plan to continue this line of research as well as other research related to LGBTQ advocacy in school, the intersection with language, and related educational and advocacy topics.

My BIO
I ​was born in DeKalb, IL, but grew up in the Boise, Idaho, area. I graduated from Eagle High School in Eagle, Idaho, with the class of 2008 and a year’s worth of college credits. For my freshman year, I attended BYU-Idaho, where I met my husband and then transferred to Boise State University. I graduated from Boise State University in 2011 with my Bachelor’s of Arts, double majoring in Psychology and Spanish.  After working with teens in the Boise State University TRiO Upward Bound program, I realized I wanted to become a teacher and so continued my education with the ACE Teacher Certification program at Northwest Nazarene University (NNU).  I received my certification in December 2012 with an endorsement in Spanish. I have taught Spanish for 6 years as well as one AP Psychology course. I currently teach with Kelso High School in Kelso, Washington. I hold credentials in Building Administration (Principal Licence), Spanish Language, and Middle School Math; I plan to add endorsements in High School Math and Social Studies in the near future.

During my first two years of teaching, I completed the remaining required classes in order to receive my M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction.  However, this was not the end of my graduate goals.  Inspired by my mentors, I decided to pursue an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, including a certification in Building Administration, and ultimately a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from NNU. Finally, I am working on my National Boards certification in World Language (Spanish). My future goals include spending more time in the classroom, working with our GSA to create safer and more inclusive spaces in our schools, community, and world, and publishing research advocating for LGBTQ students.