Classroom Teacher
Vocal Music
Role
As a music educator, I believe that all human beings have the potential to be musical. Children, therefore, can and should learn to make music with confidence, artistry, and enjoyment. Our younger students learn songs, dances, and rhymes that serve as the building blocks of language development and personal expression. As they advance through intermediate grades, students begin to appreciate the strong sense of community built by our school’s musical traditions. My hope is that each student will bring the imprint of these musical experiences with them as they seek out productive creative outlets during the rest of their K-12 years and into their adult lives.
Professional Background
I started teaching in 2001 after graduating from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Although much of my coursework was in viola performance, I have always had a passion for song traditions and storytelling. Arts advocacy and integration are also a driving force in my career. While completing my first years as a vocal music teacher in Chelsea, MA I earned an M.Ed. in Creative Arts in Learning from Lesley University. After relocating to Washington DC, I taught in Prince George’s County for several years before coming to ATS in 2012. Current educational passions include active involvement in professional learning networks such as the Kodaly and Feierabend educators’ organizations, exploring Google Apps for Education and pursuing National Board Teacher Certification.
Personal Interests
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio I grew up playing in community orchestras and dancing ballet. As an adult, studying Cuban music and dancing salsa has been a favorite past time. I met my wonderful husband, another salsa music fan and we have three great kids (two boys and a girl). While he and I don’t get out to dance as much as we used to, we love putting on our favorite albums and dancing with our little ones around the kitchen. We both like to travel and hope to go on our third trip back to his hometown in the Dominican Republic sometime next year.
Literary Connection
One of my favorite books, Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is kind of a gothic spoof. I guess not much has changed because the book I loved most as a kid was Bunnicula, a very silly story about a vampire bunny and his pet friends. My 3 older siblings were also big fans and we even had the book and all its sequels on cassette tape. We listened to them again and again as my parents drove us all over the country on long camping trips. Bunnicula went with us to the Grand Canyon, the Colorado Rockies, Prince Edward Island in Canada and even to the Florida Everglades. To me, the best thing about a great book is the connection you can find with other people through mutual enjoyment and discussion. Here at ATS, I love that both literary curiosity and music are celebrated as communal pursuits, integral to the education of our children.
