Personal
Hometown: Shabbona
Family: My husband Curt and I farm south
of Shabbona. We have two grown daughters, Hilary and Rachel.
College/Degree(s): Bachelor of Science in Child Development from NIU, Master of Arts
in Education from Aurora University
What did you want to be when you
grew up? A teacher, of course!
Favorites
Quote: “Be the reason someone smiles today.”
Hobbies: Singing, crafting, reading
Music: Amy Grant, Rascal Flatts & Pentatonix
Sports team: Chicago Cubs
TV show: “The Voice”
Travel Destination: Phoenix, Arizona (actually, anywhere with sunshine, hiking and a beach!)
Teaching
School: Indian Creek Elementary
Grade: 2nd Grade
Subjects: All
Number of years teaching: 16 years
Farm Bureau/Ag Literacy connection: Farm Bureau has been a part of my life since childhood. Both my parents and grandparents were members and involved with several Farm Bureau committees and boards. My husband and I have continued to be Farm Bureau members during our 33 years of marriage. I have served as a member of the Ag Literacy Committee for the past 6 years. My class has had the privilege of using the Ag Literacy kits provided by the Farm Bureau and have enjoyed participating in the Ag in the Classroom presentations for the past 16 years.
What is your favorite unit to teach? My favorite unit to teach is the life cycle of the butterfly. Students experience caring for their own individual critter from a tiny caterpillar, to a large caterpillar, into a chrysalis and finally to a butterfly. It is such an amazing experience for them!
What is something unique that you do in your classroom? My classroom has been very fortunate to experience a weekly visit from Coal “the reading” dog. Coal is a trained therapy dog who works with a few students each visit. The second graders enjoy spending time reading to Coal and developing a rapport with him. This positive experience has helped students gain more reading confidence and stronger fluency skills.
Why is it important for students to learn about food and farming? Although we live in a rural area, many students do not have a connection to the farming community. I feel it is important for students to be introduced to a variety of agricultural careers and also learn the procedures and processes that farmers go through to get our food from the farm to the table. Using the nutrition kit from the Ag Literacy program as well as participating in the Ag in the Classroom presentations, helps students make connections about farming to their everyday life.