- English Teacher
- Student Support Service (S-3) Team Member
- Natural Helpers Co-Facilitator

Background:

I am a graduate of Allegheny College with a B.A. in English and psychology. I have also earned my M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh. I began teaching at Upper St. Clair High School in the fall of 2001. Currently, I teach the two-year IB Language A1 course, otherwise known as IB English 11 and 12. In addition, I also teach Academic English 12 course.

Courses Taught:

Academic English 12: This course provides a survey of English literature with an in-depth analysis of literature from the AngloSaxon Period, the Medieval Era, the Renaissance, the Romantic Era, the Victorian Age, and the Modern Age. Coursework also includes poetry, short stories, and an examination of modern texts outside the scope of British literature. Alongside the readings, English 12 provides a study of sophisticated grammar, mastery of the rules of usage, and implementation of composition skills as delineated in the sequential writing program, including a formal research paper.

IB Language A1 (11 and 12): The Language A1 program encourages students to see literary works as products of art and their authors as craftsmen whose methods of production can be analyzed in a variety of ways and on a number of levels. This goal is achieved through the emphasis placed on exploring the means used by different authors to convey their subjects in the works studied. The World Literature studied in the Language A1 program is important to IB students because of its global perspective. It is envisaged as having the potential to enrich the international awareness of IB students and to develop in them the attitudes of tolerance, empathy, and a genuine respect for perspectives different from their own. In fulfilling the objectives of the course, the students will develop their powers of expression, both in oral and written communication, as they practice the skills involved in writing and speaking in a variety of styles and situations. Students enrolled in this course must take the IB exam at their own expense.