Meet the Homegrown Learning Mentors

I’ve been an educator for 13 years in diverse settings; both globally and locally. I have a Master's Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Nevada, Reno, and taught at the High School level for 3 years at Wooster and Damonte Ranch High School. For the following 3 years, I traveled throughout Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa teaching and being involved in different global educational programs:
● Taught English at a High School in Italy
● Taught English online to children in China Developed and led professional development trainings in Penang, Malaysia
● Team Leader for the LRTT Professional Training Program in Tanzania, Africa
● For the next two years, I did private tutoring and homeschooled children in K-12 grades
I then developed Homegrown Learning with a group of homeschool families. My future goal is to design and build this learning community that lives by its mission through its mentors, parents, and children. I want to re-establish a learning environment that focuses on individual needs, interests, and learning levels while building a love for learning.

I have taught for over 25 years in diverse settings; in Germany, the United States; Arizona, and primarily Reno. I received my State Examined child care provider license in Germany in 1988.

● Taught small project based art classes as co-founder of Artful Play in studio and at community events
● Volunteered at Rollan Melton Elementary School in art program and led school wide bottle cap mural
● Volunteered to set up art studio space
at CTE Pre-k Lab School and mentored senior and junior AACT highschool students to run studio space
● Presented at NevAEYC conference
● Child and Family Research Center Lead Preschool Teacher UNR, Reno NV
● Attended study tour in Reggio Emilia with CFRC for one week
● Little Learners II, Reno NV Preschool Director, and Kinder Program Teacher
● Sunrise Preschool, Lead Pre-K Master Teacher - USA
● Municipal Child Care Center, Relief ChildMinder - Germany
● Municipal Childcare preschool teacher floaters/substitute - Germany
My passion has always been to educate the whole child in a developmentally appropriate and play-based manner in a living classroom. Learning is as much in your body as it is in your head. “Hands-on” experiences or manipulatives during the learning process greatly increase learning efficiency. Touch is a strong anchor in behavior and learning. Children’s movement cannot be restricted but should always be included in as many ways as possible. Children need to be able to express and label their emotions to develop a strong emotional vocabulary. The classroom environment should be the “third teacher” that helps to foster curiosity and experimentation. Learning needs to be exciting and very open to observations, questions, the development of the hypothesis and the recording and sharing of children's results. Learning routines with manipulatives and access to self-correcting and open-ended materials is essential to meaningful child centered learning. Furthermore, my goal is to instill the love of learning and exploration in each child to develop intrinsic motivation. To me, the goal in education begins by meeting each child where they are and supporting the family so each child can develop and grow to their full potential in a developmentally appropriate manner. Children are born investigators. It is my joy to guide and support every single one!

I am a Nevada native, graduated from the University of Nevada Reno with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. I have been an educator on and off for the past 20 years. I have taught kindergarten through 2nd grade for the Washoe County School District. When not teaching
in the schools I was tutoring, substitute teaching, volunteering and providing daycare services
for friends and family, and most importantly teaching my own 3 kiddos.
Education and childcare is my passion. I believe in a hands-on learning environment and a more individualized learning so each child can feel the true successes of learning. I love
creating play-based lessons to help keep learning fun and exciting!