Education:
- MLS, University of Pittsburgh
- MA, Secondary Social Studies Education, NYU
- BA, Human Ecology, College of the Atlantic
I have worked as a classroom teacher and mid-level administrator in both public and independent schools, and I have become convinced that there are few learning experiences more powerful and engaging than discovering how something works, recognizing a pattern, or understanding a cause-and-effect relationship. For example, as a social studies teacher, I had students examine varying accounts of Columbus’s return visit to Hispaniola, where he discovered that Fort La Navidad had been abandoned and most the men killed. Students had to judge which account was most plausible and support their arguments with evidence and reasoning. As a librarian, a big part of my job is to help students use similar critical thinking skills to sort through today’s massive volume of information in order to locate and evaluate what is most reliable and pertinent to their coursework and personal interests. The other big part of my job is to foster in students a love and appreciation for reading.