Environmental Science; Biology; Chemistry

I’ve been a teacher for Oak Meadow for 10 years. I got involved through my interest and research in Waldorf education and desire to homeschool my own children. The individual approach and involvement of the whole body, mind, and spirit that Oak Meadow offers is what attracted me in the first place, and is still what shapes my teaching style.

I graduated from college with a degree in fisheries biology/environmental science. I worked for the CA Dept. of Fish and Game for a couple of years before having a family. I’ve loved the outdoors since I was a child, and have always lived in very rural environments. I enjoy sharing this love with others. In addition to teaching science for Oak Meadow, I teach cross-country skiing, kayaking, and am a whitewater guide. I’m fascinated by the fact that no matter what you’re teaching, there are the same learning styles and teaching methods, and developing an individual learning partnership with my students is my first priority. This, I believe is the spirit of Oak Meadow, and the advantage this educational style has over others.

When I started with Oak Meadow, I worked with grades K-4. Since then, I moved to grades 5-8 and high school science. I’m focusing mostly on science now, and am really excited to hone in on my favorite subject and share this fascination and enthusiasm about the world around us with my students. I’ve had a long interest in fitness, nutrition and alternative health; the health course offers opportunities for students to become more aware of their bodies and the health care systems available. For biology and environmental science, there are also wonderful opportunities for hands on projects. I’m developing a stream evaluation study that will give the students a complete field analysis project, and put all of the ecological concepts learned to practical use. I encourage students to become informed about environmental and health issues. In this way, I try to keep the science curricula alive and happening for every student.

I plan to offer monthly free text chats for high school students. We will discuss current events, optional projects, the curriculum, and general science skills.