I am a hardworking, passionate, committed educator who strives to create school-wide learning environments in which all participants (students, teachers and administrators) have an equitable opportunity to reach their learning potential. In the face of challenge, I focus on what matters most – the students, the instructional practice, and the collaborative environment. During my forty-five+ year career, I have been a classroom teacher, teacher-leader, learning specialist, literacy coach, curriculum leader, and an educational consultant in the United States and in private, international schools.  Regardless of my position within a school community, I model Margaret Meade’s thinking -  “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”  As I learn more about education, I embrace change and my passion and experience engages and empowers others.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2011 – Present Literacy Consultant:

• Canadian Academy – Kobe, Japan
• Marist Brothers International School - Kobe, Japan
• Concordia Hanoi International School –Hanoi, Vietnam
• Seoul Foreign School – Seoul, Korea
• Shekou International School – Shenzhen, China
• Sinolink Primary School – Shenzhen, China

 
2003 – 2015 Hong Kong International School
Upper Primary Literacy Coach
Multi-age classroom teacher: Grades 3 and 4

• WASC Leadership: How Assessment is Used, Chairperson 2006
• WASC Leadership: What Students Learn, Chairperson 2012
• Member: Upper Primary Assessment Committee
• Member: Curriculum Committee – Language Arts Standards and Benchmarks Grades R1 – 5: Wrote, aligned, and developed learning expectations from R1 – Grade 5
• Member: Curriculum Committee: Social Studies – Backward Design (Jay McTighe) Unit planning. Applied of McTighe training to HKIS units of study
• Introduced Classroom Meeting Process to Upper Primary. Trained teachers on creating safe learning environments
• Demonstrated and coached Japanese Counselors (University of Hiroshima) in use of class meetings
• Student Council Sponsor – Student leadership training
• Peer Coach – Applied Laura Lipton training
• Career Structure: Think Tank, pilot group member, and peer for candidates
• Chairperson: Literacy Curriculum Committee
• Established Literacy Cabinet:
• Introduced and developed of workshop model Grades 3 – 5
• Pilot Teacher for Writing Workshop at the Upper Primary
• Lead training sessions and debriefs with Pilot teachers
• Liaised with Lower Primary Grades K-2
• Liaised with administration

 

EDUCATION:
California State University, Los Angeles
Bachelor of Science Degree – American Studies focus American History, Literature, Fine Arts
5th Year Studies: Elementary Teaching Credential

Awarded California Life Credential 1969

Continuing Education: During my career, I have explored many aspects of teaching depending upon the initiatives at the various schools. Examples include:

• Science and Math – Hand-on Instruction – National Science Foundation – Fuchu, Japan 1971
• Individually Guided Education – IGE Training 1972-73
• Reading Support: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Remediation - UC Los Angeles 1983-85
• Bay Area Writing Project, UC Berkley 1986-88
• East-Asian Writing Project – 1982
• 6 Trait Writing Assessment, Cairo American College
• Writing and Reading Workshop, Teachers College, Columbia University 2007 - 2010
• Throughout my career, I have been selected for and supported to attend a variety of Professional Development experiences. I have then used the training at my schools and also shared my learning through regional teachers' associations – i.e., NESA, SEATCO, EARCOS, etc.

 

FURTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2015 Robert Garmston – Adaptive Schools Training
2015 EARCOS Kota Kinabula – Presented my research on Boys' Writing.

• 3-year study of boys writing in Grades 3 – 5 including Boys' Writing Club and Gender-Specific writing classes

2014 Marie Alcock –Using Common Core

• Understanding and unpacking standards, Hong Kong International School. This training was then put into action with the unpacking of Common Core Literacy standards with Grades 3 – 5 teachers and the revising of the Literacy units of study in UbD format

2014 Ron Ritchard – Promoting Critical Thinking, Hong Kong International School

• Incorporation of Project Zero critical thinking methods in Workshop settings

2014 Dr. Virginia Rojas – Implications of current research for EAL teaching
2010 - 2015 Annual EARCOS Literacy Workshops, HKIS.

• Lead follow-up training with HKIS teachers as well as used this learning in my consulting
• Presented original research and finding on Boys' Writing 2015

2007 - 2010 Lucy Calkins' Summer Writing/Reading Summer Institutes, Teachers College, Columbia
2008 – 2010 Literacy Coaching Training – Maggie Moon - EARCOS Sponsored

• Formed SE Asia Coaching Cohort that supported Workshop learning from 2008 – 2015
• APIS Korea – Teacher Training. Maggie Moon expanded our coaching skills and then we coaches lead a 3 day training for 120 SE Asian teachers

2008 Lucy Calkins Literacy Coach Training, Teachers College, Columbia
2006 Laura Lipton Peer Coaching, Hong Kong International School
2005 Jay McTighe Backward Design, Hong Kong International School
2003- 2004 Carrie Ekey Balanced Literacy, In-house consultant, HKIS
2001 Curriculum Development, Phoenix, Arizona
2000 Facilitative Leadership Training, Phoenix, Arizona