About
Welcome! I teach 10th grade World History and the 11th/12th grade Psychology/Sociology elective in the Social Studies department. In my courses, I work to push students in their reading stamina, communication skills, and their ability to think critically and historically. I ask students to consider different opinions on a variety of topics, and to dive deeper into understanding their own selves.
For a little about me, I grew up in New Hampshire but have been in the Bay since 2012. I live in Oakland with my partner and two children. I got my bachelor's degree in philosophy from Simmons College in Boston, MA, my master's in history from Northern Arizona University, and my master's in education from Stanford University. I have been at Arroyo High since 2015.
For fun, I really like being near the ocean, hiking in the forest, and binge-watching new TV shows. I also really love to read. I mostly read speculative/futuristic science fiction and non-fiction books, particularly about moments where people are fighting for freedom. I love history and the social sciences because they help me better understand our world. Everything that is happening now has a story behind it. Why is there racism? Why is there sexism? Why are some people poor and some people rich? Why do people discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, and queer people? These questions can be (partially) answered by learning about history, which is why I love studying and teaching it.
History as a discipline (and the Social Sciences in general) have been rightfully criticized for being Eurocentric -- prioritizing the stories of white and European people over others. I want to make sure my classroom counteracts this by making sure that the numerous stories from BIPOC (Black and Indigenous people of color), the Global South, women, working class people, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and others often left out of the dominant historical narrative have a central place in the classroom. My hope is that my classroom -- whether in person or online -- is a space where students feel safe, challenged, and brave. I want students to take risks, make mistakes, and be willing to grow. I want students to learn more about themselves and the world around them, how to decipher information to see if it's trustworthy or not, and develop the ability to make any issue or topic meaningful to them.
History as a discipline (and the Social Sciences in general) have been rightfully criticized for being Eurocentric -- prioritizing the stories of white and European people over others. I want to make sure my classroom counteracts this by making sure that the numerous stories from BIPOC (Black and Indigenous people of color), the Global South, women, working class people, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and others often left out of the dominant historical narrative have a central place in the classroom. My hope is that my classroom -- whether in person or online -- is a space where students feel safe, challenged, and brave. I want students to take risks, make mistakes, and be willing to grow. I want students to learn more about themselves and the world around them, how to decipher information to see if it's trustworthy or not, and develop the ability to make any issue or topic meaningful to them.
I am here to support students in any way I can. Please reach out at any time -- both students and parents -- on how I can support you/your student better. My email is [email protected].
