People

I run an all outdoors preschool - kindergarten in Yamhill County - Oregon. I am a program under the LLC Outdoor Education Adventures and am lead teacher and director of the preschool. We just finished up our third year and are excited to implement best practices, play based learning in nature and connection for years to come. 

Why do I teach?  This statement will provide my personal insights into these important questions.  First, it must be understood that teaching is not an easy thing to do; it is hard and it involves a lot of struggle and personal sacrifice.  At times, it can seem like there is an almost infinite amount of preparation and grading to accomplish in a limited time.  Therefore, to teach you must be mentally strong and confident.  In short, I believe, to teach you must love it.  While searching for posters to put in my classroom, I stumbled across one that said “I’m not crazy because I teach; I’m crazy because I like it.”  For me, it goes a step further, I teach because I love it.  This also applies to my field, I teach science because I love science. Often, it is said that teaching is the noblest profession; a statement that I wholeheartedly agree with.  Being in a position to positively impact the education and lives of young people is an incredible joy (and privilege) that few get to enjoy.

I am the national evaluator for NOAA's B-WET program. Formerly, I was a professor of environmental and science education (12 yrs), a federal national program manager (8 yrs), and a marine biologist. I have researched science curriculum design, taught education theory, and was a field-based environmental educator.