What do you do at TCS and how long have you been here?

This is my eighth year teaching at The Cooper School.  I have taught all grades except 5th.  This year I am in Grade 3.  I am also involved with curriculum development, and enjoy writing and honing various pieces of the curriculum.

What do you value about being at TCS?

I believe that a sense of community helps everyone to be their best selves.  TCS is a community on many levels.  From staff, to students, to families- we all support each other. 

What’s something you’ve learned teaching or working here?

Everything. I have been supported and coached into a strong and loving teacher.  I have learned that being in deep relationships with my students is the most important thing that I can do to be a successful TCS teacher.

Which educator has influenced you most in your life, and how?

Kate Shorter, the Founding Director of TCS, was a tremendous influence on me as a teacher.  She taught me how to be in control of a class while maintaining a calm and respectful tone.

What do you look forward to in your role here (lesson, section, topic, etc.) each year?

I love getting to know all of the new students at the beginning of the year and teaching siblings of students I have taught previously.  I also always enjoy gaining a deeper understanding of the curriculum, and teaching the big projects!

What is an example of your approach to dynamically balancing creative intelligence, self and social intelligence and academic mastery in your work at TCS?

I love how we teach Vocabulary at TCS.  Students receive new vocabulary words every two weeks.  During this two-week study, students are asked to interact with these words in a variety of ways.  They use the words in written sentences, they illustrate the words, they use their words in their daily lives, and they even act the words out through a dramatic interpretation! In this all-encompassing way, every student is able to represent the words in ways that make the most sense to them.

If you could live in a book, what book would it be?

Harry Potter, as long as I wasn’t a Muggle and I had some sort of magical powers.

What’s something this community might not know about you?

I grew up on a Hindu-based spiritual Ashram in Florida.  Subhadra is the name of a Hindu goddess.  Also, I went to The University of Florida and I am a HUGE Gators fan.