Wow! A biography about me...I better make this good!

Rather than boring you with dates, certifications, and a chronological history of my professional life, why not just let you in on a few key experiences that make up who I am today--an educator, an out-of-the-box thinker, a risk-taker.

At one point in my life I traveled on my bicycle across the United States of America. It was more than just a really long bike ride. It was a trek from Seattle, Washington to my hometown, Malone, New York. This adventure, at the beginning of my career, built my trust in people. During a time when the character of our country was in question globally, I found a true sense of nationalism and belonging as a citizen of the United States. I trusted people. I camped on their front lawns, I took them up on the lemonade that they offered, and I was overwhelmed with the generosity of people across my country--the United States of America.

Today I am an educator. I am passionate about my profession. I see school as 'the real world' with opportunities for students to practice citizenship, talk to one another, help each other, and learn to trust, and be trusted. In our classroom we work with information, at tables, in groups every day. We use technology as a tool. We use it to raise awareness, start conversations, change minds, find answers, and connect with others.

I continue to learn, as is the case with most people in my profession. Some of my favorite resources include: TED,TED-Ed, Stanford History Education Group (SHEG)--Beyond The Bubble and Reading Like a Historian, Zinn Education Project, Common Sense Media, The National Archives, and The Library of Congress.