Normal Park Museum Magnet

M.Ed. Secondary Education: English; University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
B.A. English Literature and Psychology; University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

I am currently in my third year teaching middle school language arts in Hamilton County. I spent my first year at Red Bank Middle School. Last year, I joined the faculty of the new Normal Park Upper School as a member of the sixth grade team. I love teaching sixth grade at Normal Park, in part, because the curriculum is so rich and rigorous. Mrs. Roden, the social studies teacher, and I are able to collaborate on some very exciting modules, my favorite of which is Ancient Greece. As the sixth graders study life in Ancient Greece with Mrs. Roden, we delve into the world of Greek Mythology in language arts. It’s a world filled with drama, adventure, heroes, and villains; and the students love it!

Before I became a language arts teacher, I spent ten years dancing professionally and teaching ballet, modern, and creative movement classes for the Chattanooga Ballet. In my last few years with Chattanooga Ballet, I had the privilege of serving as their Director of Education and Outreach. I also taught dance at Baylor and Center for Creative Arts.

Arriving at Normal Park felt like coming home for me. I love being in a school where connections are made across the curriculum, arts integration is emphasized, and students are given real-world opportunities to demonstrate understanding. Normal Park is a vibrant learning community, and I feel lucky to be a part of it!