I grew up in Brooklyn and attended PS 169. I always wanted to be an astronaut. I was fascinated with outer space. I idealized it. Then, when the first teacher went up in 1985, there was that horrible accident where the…
My first summer during college, I worked at the Atlanta Community Food Bank with middle schoolers, running a summer meals stand. I loved spending time with them organizing activities, and there was something really energizing for me about working with…
The main reason why I didn't pursue getting my teaching license after graduating from Ball State is because I had my daughter. I graduated from college on time, and my baby daughter was on stage with me at graduation. It…
My mom was an elementary school teacher, but I had no interest in teaching when I was growing up. I told everybody that I was going to be President of the United States, and that was my plan from when…
My parents met working in a group home for adults with intellectual disabilities in Rhode Island. My dad stayed within that profession, moving all the way up to his position now. He's the commissioner for Connecticut Developmental Services. I grew…
I decided to become a teacher when I was in undergrad and initially pursued a degree in education. But after a few years, taking courses and managing college life and classes became complicated. I ended up changing my major, but…
My younger sister and I are 15 years apart. When I was in college studying creative writing, she was just starting kindergarten and struggling with her sight words. She has ADHD, and my parents couldn’t afford a tutor. So when…
I became a teacher by luck. I was a chemical engineering major at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, where I grew up. There was a Special Olympics event, and I was setting up for it because I worked with…
I was sworn into my role on the DC State Board of Education in January 2023. Over the last two years, one key accomplishment has been revising and updating DC’s social studies standards. As a social studies teacher, it was an honor to have a direct say in the revision process and ultimately get a vote to approve the new standards.
From a young age, I loved to read. My mom could be standing right in front of me calling my name and I literally would not hear her because I would be so engrossed in whatever I was reading. I…