Are ya'll excited about being in second grade? Me,too! Even after 11 years of teaching second grade, there are still so many new things I want to learn and explore. Science and reading are my favorite subjects.
My hometown was Pennsville, New Jersey. My mom's name was Ellie. My dad's name was George. I have one older sister named Dian. We were a close family. We lived out in the country and had horses, a donkey, cats and dogs. Across the road was a dairy farm, so I learned to milk cows at an early age. It was my priviledge to see many calves, foals, puppies, and kittens born. Country living is the best!
I attended Millersville State College in Pennsylvania from 1970 to 1974. That's near Lancaster, PA right in the middle of Amish country. I graduated with a degree in Industrial Arts. For those of you who may not know, that's wood shop, metal shop, graphic arts, electricity, drafting, and other general shop courses. I taught general shop at Unionville-Chadds Ford Middle School for 6 years. When I first started only boys were allowed to take shop. In my second year of teaching, shop was co-ed. Teaching shop was great fun. I still love to build things.
My first husband and I moved to West Virginia to be near his family. In 1982 we moved to a small farm in the countryside near Sevierville. There were no Industrial Arts jobs available. During the next few years I worked as a desk clerk, draftsman, copy prep artist, editor/proofreader of a local magazine and a nursery teacher's aide for Overlook Mental Health Center. In 1992 I was divorced from my first husband. That was a sad time. Deciding I needed to get back into teaching I returned to school to get my masters. I attended Carson Newman College to attain my certification in Special Education, Elementary Education, and my masters in Curriculum and Instruction. Pi Phi has been my home away from home for 11 years. My philosophy of education is very simple. I love them all and try to meet all of my students needs!
My small farm has about 14 acres. I love living in my peaceful holler! My husband's name is Gary. He is a wonderful man. We get along like two peas in a pod. We share many of the same interests. At the present time, we have the following critters: One cow named Mocha, one steer named Otis, a black lab/chow mix dog named Scooby, a yellow lab named Trapper, a mama cat named Spot, her baby girl Charlie, a beautiful male peacock, and several chickens and roosters. I feel fortunate to share my life with all my critters.
My pleasures and hobbies include spending time with Gary, gardening, taking care of and laughing at my critters, hiking, walking for exercise with my dogs, watercolor painting, reading lots of different kinds of books, woodcarving, making beaded jewelry, baking/cooking, and relaxing on my screened-in porch.
Scooby & Trapper
