My name is Susan Kunze. I live in Bishop, California. Bishop is a small, very rural community on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. My wonderful husband and I have lived in Bishop more than thirty-five years, raising our two sons here. I enjoy time with family exploring our beautiful "backyard", being involved in community theater productions, vocal music, reading, writing, and traveling.

My educational background includes a Master's degree in education, with an emphasis in curriculum development and instructional methodologies, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I received my Bachelor's degree in history and Spanish from Point Loma Nazarene University, where I also received my multiple subject teaching credential.

I love teaching! I recently retired after teaching in the elementary grades at Bishop Elementary School for more than thirty of my forty-year career.. My assignments included second, third, and mixed-grade (combination) classes at first, second and third grade, as well as serving as our district K-5 coordinator. Bishop Elementary, where I still serve as a volunteer teaching STEM, is a Title 1 school and has a high percentage of SED (socio-economically deprived)students. Students include English language learners and Native American students from our local Paiute Shoshone tribe. It has been my continuing effort to provide the best, most appropriate education for each student.

Although I am a recent retiree with many years of teaching experience, I have made it a priority to keep on the cutting edge of teaching practice and available technologies. Throughout my career I have been very active in state and national STEM projects, including writing teacher resource materials, writing for web-based teacher resources, such as NCTM Illuminations and LearnZillion, and as a member of the California state mathematics framework and ELA/ELD textbook committee. I was honored to be named a recipient of the Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2010.

I am currently a member of CalTAC, the California Teacher's Advisory Council for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) for the California Council of Science and Technology. As a member of CalTAC, I help advise CCST on providing opportunities for teachers to use digital tools in the classroom, connect innovators to enable the sharing and advancement of new ideas, and advise and support state initiatives and polices regarding STEM education and curriculum. In addition, I am an Ozobot Certified Educator and a QuiverVision Ambassador. Scholastic Publishing will be publishing my new teacher resource book on STEM topics later in 2018.

I am excited about all that CommonSense Media has to offer teachers in supporting student learning and achievement. It is a valuable resource, and I hope that my small contribution here will scale my impact to classrooms everywhere.