“I went to many colleges. I started out with my undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where I studied Journalism and Economics. Then I went to Purdue University where I got a doctorate in Economics (…) and then I went to Towson University to get a Master’s in Teaching.”
How long have you been teaching?
“I taught at the university level for about 10 years, and then I had a long stretch where I was doing stay-at-home mom things, and then I came back, so this is my second year in Howard County.”
What inspires you to work as a teacher?
“I’m not sure… I think I’ve always been a teacher, from the time I was a kid and I was teaching my sister and brother how to do stuff… I like to help people learn how to do things.”
And what were you doing before you taught at Atholton?
“I taught for a year at Murray Middle School, and before that I was in school getting my Master’s in Teaching, and before that I was a stay at home mom.”
So, how has Atholton been different from other places you’ve taught at?
“I don’t think it’s terribly different. I think students are students, and teaching is teaching to a certain extent. I am here in the afternoons and I teach in the morning at Centennial, and so the students there seem to be a little quieter, but I think it’s because they’re still sleeping, so I get you guys in the afternoon when you’re woken up.”
What are the best and worst things about Atholton, in your opinion?
“Hmmm… I would say the worst thing for me personally is the distance I have to walk from the parking lot all the way to the classroom back here. Because by the time I get here, at lunchtime, all of the parking spots are taken.”
And what about the best?
“What’s the best thing? Um, I like that the students are goofy, and have a lot of interesting things to say.”
And how do you interact with your students to keep them engaged?
“Well, that’s a tough question… I like to do lots of activities, I like to, um, my students will tell you that I have shown all kinds of really stupid, weird music videos that relate to Government. So I like to do stuff, I’m not the kind of person who likes to sit and say, ‘Ok everybody, take out your notebooks and we’re just going to take notes.’ I like to do stuff.”
If teaching hadn’t worked out for you, where do you think you’d be right now?
“So what’s my plan B, huh?”
Yeah.
“Hmm… I actually don’t have a plan B because I thought- because I was a stay-at-home mom for a long time, I thought about all kinds of different jobs, and different things I might like to do, and ways I could go and I kept coming back to teaching.”
So if you weren’t teaching, you wouldn’t know what to do?
“I wouldn’t know what to do, yes… Although, now that I think about it, I think the other way I might have gone is to be a librarian.”
If you were a student, would you be your favorite teacher?
“Oh, that’s a good question… Of course I would. Because my teaching style would just be exactly tuned to my learning style.
Moving off-topic a little bit, what’s your favorite sports team? Y’know, baseball, hockey, anything, really.
*Laughing* “I am the least sports team person ever. But, if I have to say something, I’m going to say Johns Hopkin’s Football team, because my daughter plays for their pep band. And obviously Atholton Raiders.”
So, last question, what T.V. shows or music do you like the best?
“Oh, I love mysteries, particularly the BBC stuff, but I like Doctor Who… yeah, we watch a lot of murder mysteries.”
And what about your favorite music?
“Favorite music, um, I’m going to say swing… yep, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.”
Well, thank you very much for your time.
“And thank you.”