Educational Biography

Before being accepted into Central Washington University MAT program, I was going from job to job.  I was a housekeeper, hostess, front desk receptionist at a couple hotels, bank teller, and none of them gave me joy.  I decided a long time ago what I wanted to be, and that was to be a music teacher.

 

My former music teacher and dear friend, Jonathan McBride, led me on the path that I am on today.  It was on a field trip to the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra in the winter of 1999. The orchestra was featuring songs from the movie Fantasia. During the performance, he quizzed me on what instruments were playing.  It was so fun and the music that was filling the hall was also filling my soul. The bus dropped me off at the end of my driveway.  As I walked that quarter mile in the cold, I decided right then and there what I wanted to be. I was going to be a music teacher. 

 

I received a bachelor’s degree in music with an emphasis in education from Eastern Oregon University (EOU) in 2015. While attending EOU, I participated in the symphonic choir, women’s choir, and woodwind ensemble.  In 2008, I traveled to China on a choir tour.  During the tour, it showed me how much music is universal and how it can bring people together.

 

I have participated in the Washington Music Educator Association conference in 2023 and 2024.  I have been able to implement strategies that I learned there into my classroom.  In the future, I would like to be Orff certified as well as Feierabend certified.

 

There has always been this drive for me to help children and what better profession to do that than teaching.  I hope to provide opportunities for my students to experience joy within my classroom.  Music can help us to get through the good times and bad.  I am thankful every day to have the ability to teach and I hope to do it for years to come.