My adventures living and teaching overseas for the past eighteen years have taught me many valuable lessons about people, cultures, and the importance of being able to adapt quickly and use change to my advantage. In addition to many courses and workshops over the years, it is the variety of real-life teaching experiences that have shaped my educational philosophy and that I have found the most rewarding in my own growth as a teacher. I am passionate about a team approach to cross-curricular education, which I believe to be the best way to motivate and educate lifelong learners in an ever-changing world.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bulgaria, I faced the challenge of teaching high school English without the benefits of books, photocopiers, or even a chalkboard. As a result, I have developed a talent for creating teaching materials out of just about anything.

As the ESL coordinator at the American College of Sofia in Bulgaria, I led a team of educators in teaching ESL to academically gifted eighth graders. Because our goal was to prepare beginners to study all of their subjects in English, this experience not only shaped my leadership skills, but broadened my knowledge of a wide variety of academic subjects, as well.

When I moved on to teaching high school literature in Peru, I once again found myself part of an English department that was eager to design a more student-friendly program. Despite the older age and higher level of English, I found that the ESL techniques I had been developing for four years still applied. My two years at the American School of Lima were spent designing a practical, skills-based English curriculum that included student-selected literature, mock college interviews, and university entrance essays. The experience also gave me the key to motivating students by connecting the material to their real-life interests.

At the American International School in Kuwait, my previous leadership experience and resource skills were put to use as I designed an ESL program from scratch. My new challenge, however, was teaching middle school students with special needs in a culture that didn’t recognize learning differences. By exploring topics such as journalism, cooking, television, and UFOs, I emphasized the fun of learning and engaged my students in the language.

As a fifth grade teacher at Seoul International School, Korea, I adapted and taught the core curriculum to a sheltered ESL class. The intensity of teaching not only language, but also science, math, social studies, and health to non-English speakers proved to be both exciting and enlightening. While preparing my students for mainstream integration, I also supervised a team of five elementary ESL teachers in changing the program from one of sheltered pull out to sheltered immersion.

My former position as an ESL teacher at Damascus Community School presented me with the challenge of teaching a diverse range of ages and abilities. My colleagues and I designed a sheltered program to better meet the individual needs of students while supporting the core faculty in teaching the mainstream curriculum. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching every level from second through eleventh grade, and subjects such as language arts, social studies, and world literature. Probably the most enjoyable aspect of my job was being a middle school team leader and advisor, which gave me the opportunity to interact with a wider range of students beyond academics. 

Each new school and every new country has presented me with unique challenges that inspire the learner inside me and motivate me to share the educational journey with others. Once again I am seeking a new adventure in a dynamic international school, which will challenge me as a teacher and make the most of my skills and experience.