It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
-Aristotle-

Teaching Experience

• 2005 - present    Media Specialist, O'Neill High School

• 1995 - 2005       High School English, grades 10 and 11, O'Neill High School

• 1987 - 1995       Junior High English, 8th grade English, 9th grade journalism, Walnut Junior High, Grand Island, NE

• 1982 - 1984       Family Teacher, Girls and Boys Town, Boy's Town , Nebraska   

• 1978 - 1980       Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Geography, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio

• 1976 - 1978       Tonga High School, Nuku'Alofa, Tonga, South Pacific

• 1974-1976         Junior High English, Alan B. Shepard Junior High, Deerfield, Il.

Teaching Reflection:

Reflecting on a career that spans almost thirty years at first takes my breath away.  It doesn't seem that I could have been at this for so long.  A second look makes me count my many blessings, having had the opportunity to be a part of one of the most meaningful careers one could possibly undertake.  During that time, I have had the pleasure of touching lives of truly remarkable young people.  The world is bettered by doctors, teachers, politicians, accountants, moms and dads with whom I have had the joy of sharing time, great thoughts, great literature, and if I am lucky even had a small part in shaping. 

In my early years of teaching, I also coached swimming.  I gave that and urban living up for a brief stint in the Peace Corps. Here I learned first hand that people are, first of all, just people.  We all, for the most, work hard to make a living, love our kids and grandkids, grieve at our losses, puzzle over our politicians.  My students taught me how to make and cook in an umu, and I taught them a little bit about Sylvester Stalone, American music, and respect for our fellow men and women. [for an interesting read on that time and the Peace Corps in Tonga, pick up the book American Taboo: A Murder in the Peace Corps by Peter Weiss].  A return to the states took me back to school and on to a variety of work experiences, but teaching was my calling, one to which I returned in 1987.  It is a decision I have never regretted.

My recent move from classroom to media center is a natural one.  In my new capacity I have had the freedom to read widely, to explore new technologies, to support new teachers struggling with the weighty demands of our work.  In addition, I serve on a technology committee where I bring a perspective.  Our staff is blessed with technology experts far more knowledgeable than I in areas of both software and hardware.  What I am able to bring is the perspective of curriculum link and the question of meaningful enhancement or simple add-on to an already overloaded curriculum. They keep me abreast of new things in the field of technology, and I keep asking the question, "How does it support curriculum? How does it advance core learning?"

My return to the UNK on-line classroom in 2004 put me back into the position of student.  In this new program, I sat at a computer screen thousands of miles from the most distant students, hundreds of miles from most of the rest, but we have become a learning community, in spite of distance.  The coursework has shown me first-hand the power and potential for technology in the classroom.  Classmates have shared with me marvelous projects and have inspired both my own production and my vision for the potential in our district.