Faculty Focus: November 2024

I graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a double degree in History and Education. I am currently completing my masters degree in History Education.

I taught history and business management at a private, Catholic high school in Wicker Park for 10 years and taught history at an International Baccalaureate school in Thailand for two years. 

“The Meaning of Night” by Michael Cox is the perfect novel for the Halloween season. “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari is my current nonfiction choice.

Traveling….and picking up little bits of history along the way so that I can incorporate it into my classroom. I also love the outdoors - whether that means hiking, camping, or spending the day at the lake. When I find the space and time, listening to music makes me feel grounded.

I played soccer and was involved in cross country and track & field in high school.

I am currently a Shield Mentor and am the moderator for the Model UN club.

I have honestly never taught at a school with such kind, grateful, and generous students as I do here at Fenwick. The students go the extra mile to make everyone feel very included. They are appreciative of their learning and don’t hesitate to let their teachers know!

I feel that history exposes students to a wide variety of cultures, perspectives, and human experiences helping them make connections between contemporary moments and the past. As an educator, my hope is that by teaching them history, students will have an appreciation for diversity, develop empathy, and realize that they are citizens of the world with a global outlook on life. Seeking understanding and learning from each other are core values in my classroom.

I am passionate about what I teach, and I feel that it rubs off on my students. My students feed off of my energy and enthusiasm for learning which motivates them to dig deeper. I am also fond of refuting and poking holes in my students’ arguments, forcing them to look at a topic from a new viewpoint.

The connections I make with my students!

Digital distractions, including social media, and screen time. Although technology does offer significant benefits, excessive screen time is negatively impacting students’ well being.