ABOUT ME

I am an educator, teacher instructor, doctoral student, and professional development planner from Calgary, Alberta. 

Over my ten year teaching career, I have taught Science, Outdoor Education, Design, Foods, and Technology classes at the secondary level and have worked as an administrator in middle and K-9 schools. 
My approach to teaching is student-centred, hands-on, and high-energy and I enjoy speaking at schools and conferences to help other educators explore ways they can make their professional practice more engaging and effective. In 2011, I was recognized for my approach to teaching when I received both the Alberta Teaching in Excellence Award and the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence. 

For the past five years I have played a central role in producing and coordinating the Calgary City Teachers' Convention, the country's largest professional development conference for Calgary's 10,000 classroom teachers.  I enjoy the challenge of planning other conference events and have helped design professional development days for schools and conferences for teacher associations and universities.

I've currently in my third year of PhD studies at the University of Alberta.  My research concentration focuses on school design and my the ways that school spaces limit/enhance how teachers enact their pedagogical objectives.  The goal of my research is to inform how schools are planned, how educators and architects communicate, and how curriculum and space work together to provide students with rich learning opportunities.