2012-Present

Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX)

Critical Investigation of Teaching and Learning in Today's Schools (EDUC 20003): This course will provide a careful and systematic exploration of teaching and learning within the context of the U.S. education system. Class members will critically examine a variety of factors that influence schooling processes for children at all levels, including the social foundations of education, the structure of the education system, and best practices for classroom implementation of instruction. Class members will participate in and reflect upon field experiences in local schools.

Teaching and Learning with Technology (EDUC 30113): An overview of using educational technology for teaching, learning, and professional productivity. Focuses on use of current and emerging technologies for teaching, assessment, research, communication, and collaboration in educational settings. Addresses topics such as finding and evaluating technology resources, designing print and multimedia products, collecting and analyzing data using technology, planning for technology-integrated instruction, and understanding issues and ethical practices related to technology use.

Educational Psychology (EDUC 30123):  Educational Psychology is a comprehensive exploration of the psychological principles that underlie effective teaching and learning. This course delves into the intricate interplay between cognitive, social, and emotional factors that shape the educational experience. Through a blend of theoretical exploration, practical applications, case studies, and reflective exercises, students will gain a profound understanding of how psychological theories and concepts can inform and enhance educational practices. By the end of the course, students will possess the ability to critically analyze educational contexts, design impactful instructional experiences, and adapt their approaches for a diverse range of learners.

Child and Adolescent Development (EDUC 30143): Introduction to theories of child and adolescent development emphasizing ages 5-18. Physical, cognitive, emotional and social aspects of development will be considered. Includes observations of children and adolescents in informal settings.

Effective Teaching and Implementation (EDSE 50023): As a part of the effective teacher model, this course focuses on instructional design and implementation, motivation of students to promote and enhance learning in the classroom; management issues pertinent to student behavior and learning outcomes; and preparation of a variety of formal and informal assessment strategies.

Experiential Learning Across the Content Areas (EDUC 50053): Experiential Learning Across the Content Areas is a comprehensive overview and introduction to the various approaches educators, parents, and other stakeholders who work with youth can use to create connections between their learning environments, the content areas, and the broader places in which they reside. This course will address the benefits of experiential place-based education to the individual, the community, and society, including intellectual development, social and emotional learning, student engagement, and critical thinking.

Digital Communication and Collaboration in Education (EDUC 50263): This course focuses on educational applications of digital tools to support 21st century skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Students will develop skills in locating organizing, analyzing, evaluating, designing and communicating digital information. Students will also learn fundamentals of data management and web development. In addition, they will consider ethical and societal issues related to digital communication and collaboration in education.

Social Studies Methods for Middle and High School (EDSE 50463): This course uses the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and the National Council of Teachers of Social Studies as a framework to help students examine content methodology, skills, and materials used to teach social studies to adolescents in secondary grades.

2010-2012

University of North Texas (Denton, TX)

Computers in the Classroom (LTEC 4100): This survey course introduces preservice educators to techniques for integrating technology into daily classroom activities. Topics covered in this course are areas that impact or have the potential to impact educators working in the classroom environment. Special emphasis will be placed on constructing relevant and appropriate instructional environments.

Foundations of Learning Technologies (CECS 5030): This course introduces students to the basic concepts and skills related to authoring on the World Wide Web. Students learn the history of the Internet, basic skills such as searching, indexing and communicating using Web tools, and creating HTML files. In addition to weekly assignments, students create a digital portfolio using Dreamweaver and host it on the Web.

2009-2010

University of Illinois at Springfield (Springfield, IL)

Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TEP 322): The course focuses on major approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. Introduces the standards required of all teachers in Illinois and begins work on the candidates' professional teaching portfolio.

Secondary Social Studies Methods (TEP 438): This course provides pre-service teachers with a comprehensive overview of effective approaches to planning, implementing, managing, and assessing successful social studies learning experiences for students.  Emphasis will be placed on exploring the relationship between educational theory and the development of practical teaching techniques for everyday use in the secondary social studies classroom. In this course, we will examine the following areas of social studies education: standards & accountability, curriculum/unit/lesson planning, instructional methods/approaches, engaging approaches for the teaching of history, government, civics, economics, sociology/psychology and multiculturalism.

Technology for Teaching (TEP 305): Students will demonstrate knowledge of appropriate applications of computer based technologies and traditional media in the learning and teaching experience needed to develop and understand how technology increasingly affects learning. Teacher candidates will be provided with exposure to conceptual information and applied experiences necessary to successfully comply with the Core Technology Standards set by the Illinois State Board of Education. Students will also integrate computer-based technologies in an educational setting. Specific emphasis is placed on learning how to select and use appropriate computer-based technologies and traditional media to meet identified instructional goals and objectives in content area classrooms. After completing this class, you should understand how to use technology in communicating, collaborating, conducting research, and solving problems.

2005-2009

University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)

Applied Teaching with Technology (EDLF 545): Applied Teaching with Technology was a unique opportunity for students to learn about the use and integration of leading edge technologies and apply technology to support learning in a K-12 setting. The highlight of the course was the Technology Infusion Program (TIP), which partnered each EDLF 545 student with a mentor teacher in an Albemarle County school to design and implement a technology-enhanced instructional module. The internship provided the students with practical classroom experience and the Albemarle County teachers with professional development on educational technologies and their applications.

Teaching with Technology (EDLF 345): This class is required for all preservice teachers in the Curry School of Education Masters of Teaching program. My sections were designed specifically for those focusing on elementary and special education. Topics covered include digital media authoring, Fair Use, assistive technology, information literacy, software and website evaluation, and integrating technology into lesson plans.

Digital Media Development (EDLF 707): This 3-week intense course taught during the second summer session in the Curry School is open to all graduate and undergraduate students. Using web page development as a platform, students created digital media using Dreamweaver, Flash, PhotoShop, MovieMaker and Audacity. They then integrated their work into an electronic portfolio.

Teacher Professional Development: I taught technology-based professional development on two different occasions to teachers in Bedford County, VA and Norfolk, VA. The Bedford County workshop was designed for secondary English teachers and spanned 5 days. Topics covered were podcasting, digital movie making, blogs and standards-based technology integration. The Norfolk professional development focused on integrating PrimaryAccess, a web-based digital video editor, into middle and high school social studies instruction.

Teaching Elementary Social Studies (EDIS 534): For this class, I served as Teaching Assistant to Patrice Grimes, a Social Studies Education professor in the Curry School. The course focused on effective methods for delivering social studies instruction to K-5 students. Preservice teachers taking this course designed lesson plans, integrated units and curriculum maps, as well as researched available resources for social studies instruction.

Viewing American History Through American Art (HIUS 401-E): I served as a technical advisor for this course as students created digital documentaries about the 1920's and 30's using PrimaryAccess.

2002-2011

Casper College (Casper, WY)

Interpersonal Communication (CO/M 1030): This summer course was designed to focus on the fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication, Interpersonal skill development, and understanding of dyadic relationships. I taught this course in both the classroom and online setting.

2001-2005

Natrona County School District (Casper, WY)

Willard Elementary School: From 2001-2003, I taught a self-contained sixth grade class. My responsibilities included teaching all content areas and striving endlessly to not succumb to the pre-teen sense of humor. In that responsibility I failed miserably. From 2003-2005, I taught third grade in a team setting. As a Title I and Reading First school, teaching responsibilities were distributed among a team of talented and dedicated educators, from whom I gained a wealth of knowledge.

Kelly Walsh High School: In addition to my pursuits as a teacher, I coached cross country and boys' soccer. Having finished last in the state the previous year, the head coach and I built a winning program with 6 meet titles, over 20 top-3 finishes and three straight top-4 finishes at the State meet. Having already obtained a tradition of excellence, the boys' soccer team won the State championship 3 out of 4 years during my time as an assistant coach. The experience of coaching high school athletes and convincing them that winning is worth the extra effort has been, and always will be, one of the highlights in my life.

1999-2001

Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO)

Public Speaking and Discussion (SP 200): As a Master's student in the Speech Communication department, I had the amazing opportunity to teach public speaking to undergraduate students from every college and department at the university. Though the contextual factor of teaching a required course to, in most cases, reluctant students made teaching this course challenging, the experience was worth it as the participants grew to enjoy and value the skill of public discourse.

1995-1999

Grapevine/Colleyville Independent School District (Grapevine, TX)

Timberline Elementary School: This is where it all started. I often joke that my education started after I graduated from college. Through the support of my family, top-notch teaching colleagues and a wonderful prinicipal, I survived my first year of teaching and developed into a confident teacher. The decision to leave this position in pursuit of an advanced degree in another field was one of the hardest I've made to date. Yet, there it all worked out as it was supposed to and I may just cross this part of my path again someday.