I supervise and evaluate teachers of French, German, Latin and Spanish, grades 7 to 12, in the department. In addition, I am responsible for curriculum writing, professional development, scheduling, and hiring, among other tasks.

EDUCATION | B.A. in French and Spanish. M.A. in Critical & Creative Thinking with a concentration in Second Language Curriculum & School Change. Received the Critical & Creative Thinking Award for Academic Excellence.

HOW TO GET STARTED | Teaching is hard work. We might have a lot of vacation time, but we work long hours. Books to read: "The Power of their Ideas", by Deb Meier; "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?", by Beverly Daniel Tatum; "Foreign Language Education the Easy Way", by Steven Krashen; "Schools That Learn", by Peter Senge; "Pedagogy of the Oppressed", by Paulo Freire; "Savage Inequalalities", by Jonathan Kozol

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Dedication Patience Fortitude Creativity Tolerance for Ambiguity Willingness to Take Risks Ability to Adapt Humility

how I got started | Right out of college, I was not sure that I wanted to teach. I interviewed for a few jobs in the business world, but felt unmotivated and uninterested in the jobs. During my lackluster job search, a good friend asked me why I wasn't pursuing teaching. She convinced me to give it a try. So, I went to Framingham State College for 2 semesters to become licensed to teach. I student taught at Marlborough High School and knew from the first day of student teaching that I would love the job.

why this job?| In elementary and middle school, I was not a particularly strong student. I remember a few teachers who saw something special in me and told me that I was smart, something I didn't really believe. Their belief in me stuck with me. When I started college, I was unprepared for the level of work, but eventually made the transition to being successful. By my junior year I was on the Dean's List every semester. I became passionate about learning. If I'd paid closer attention I would have known then that education was the right career path for me.

why I love this job!| I love watching kids come into the classroom in September with perhaps no proficiency in the language, and begin to understand and communicate on the first day without using any English at all. I work with a group of talented, professional teachers who care deeply about quality teaching and learning. They have high expectations of themselves and of their students. What's not to love about working with people who are passionate about their jobs?

my typical day| Arrive at the office about 6:15 a.m. Go through my calendar and to do list. Prioritize tasks. Answer emails etc. before others arrive. I spend a lot of time meeting with teachers, either to help problem solve, work on curriculum and instruction, and addressing parent concerns. I teach 1 class a day, Spanish II Honors. That's the best part of my day. Typically I try to leave the office by 4:00pm.

what they are | Teaching is hard. Often schools label kids as "the smart ones", "unmotivated", etc. A teacher's job is to surmount those labels and to develop relationships with students to help them learn. From the perspective of an administrator, the challenge is to hire the right people, and to maintain high standards and introduce new initiatives around best practices without bulldozing through with an agenda.

all about growth | Most teachers don't climb a ladder to administration. Some who do find out that while they loved teaching, they don't love being an administrator. Supervising people is a very different job than teaching and takes a different set of skills and attitudes. I think that teachers who stay for the long haul stay reasons that supercede career growth.

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