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Beyond the ABCs
Nurturing a Love of Reading, Writing & Learning |
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MY BACKGROUND 
I am a Reading Specialist and PCI Certified Parent Coach with over 15 years of experience working with children, teachers and parents. Most of my professional career was spent working in the public school system. I began teaching in 1990, and spent 5 years as a K-2 classroom teacher in Montgomery County, Maryland . After taking a year off to get my Master's Degree in Literacy Education from the University of Colorado, I decided to make Colordo my new home. I met my husband while camping in the Rocky Mountains and we got married a few years later. While living in Colorado I was a Reading Specialist in the St. Vrain Valley School District and then became the district's first Literacy Coach for K-5 teachers. I also taught several inservice courses for teachers and frequently presented at state and national teaching conferences.
2003 was a busy year for me. I had my son that spring and decided to take a break from teaching so I could stay at home with him. We also moved to Arizona that fall. In Arizona I joined East Valley Positive Parenting and volunteered to be the Education Chairperson for the group. During this time, I became even more interested in the role parents play in nurturing a love of reading, writing & learning. With a background in both Early Childhood and Literacy Education, I decided to embark on a new career as a Parent Coach so I could combine the things I'm most passionate about - teaching, parenting and learning. I graduated from The Parent Coaching Institute in the spring of 2006 and developed the concept of "Beyond the ABCs" that summer. In the winter of 2007 I also became a regular presenter for the Building Children's Futures project in Roanoke, VA, which is designed to improve the quality of early childhood education.
My latest "project "has been the birth of my second son, whom was born in the fall of 2007. Having a baby and a preschooler has renewed my passion for early childhood education. My family and I now live, work, play and learn in southwestern Virginia, near beautiful Smith Mt. Lake and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
MY CREDENTIALS & EXPERIENCE
* Parent Coach Certification from The Parent Coaching Institute, in collaboration with Seattle Pacific University
* Master's Degree in Literacy Education from the University of Colorado in Boulder
* B. S. Degree in Early Childhood Education from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA
* Experience Presenting at State and National Teaching Conferences
* Experience Creating and Leading Inservice Courses for Teachers
* Experience Leading Seminars & Workshops for Parents on Early Learning Topics
* Kindergarten and 2nd Grade Classroom Teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
* 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Reading Specialist in St. Vrain Valley School District, Longmont, CO
* K-5 Literacy Coach in St. Vrain Valley School District, Longmont, CO
* Completed Training the Trainer course, for teaching adult learners
* Visiting Faculty Member for the University of Colorado in Boulder
* Education Chairperson for East Valley Positive Parenting (EVPP), Phoenix AZ
* Have written several articles for parents (including my own monthly newsletter)
*Regular presenter for Building Children's Future's Early Childhood Series in Roanoke, VA
* Current Member of the International Reading Association
FREE ARTICLE
Click Here to read my article entitled "Beyond the ABCs : Nurturing a Love of Reading"
Published in the PCI Ezine (Feb. 2007); HEAV Update (March 2007) & The Home Educator's Family Times (April/May Issue 2007) & Reading Rockets (May 2007)
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