My Writing
My writing comes from a place of advocacy and anti-racism. An anti-racist space is one in which everyone’s microphone is turned on and set to the same volume. In order to avoid this becoming a cacophony of voices, this requires everyone to give equal time to each person that wants to express themselves. For those of us who are part of the dominant culture, this also means being willing to recognize that our microphone has historically been on longer and we would therefore be advised to cede our time to others who have not had this privilege; with the understanding that equity has more value than equality, we can sing backup but lead no longer. Therefore, I devote my voice to highlighting the work and experience of others while advocating for them.
Book Reviews
I review books appropriate for every student from upper elementary to high school, both from the perspective of a parent and a teacher.
Research
I am deeply interested in the role of multicultural education and how its deployment in schools can create bring about both equity and transformation.
Curriculums
I am designing a set of ELA curriculum resources within the UDL and UbD frameworks that can be mixed and matched to meet student needs.
About Me
I am a middle school ELA teacher in Evansville, Indiana. It was a winding road to this career and back to my hometown — one that gave me experience in aid development, magazine editing, and graphic design all the way from Moldova to New York. In 2019, I began teaching middle school ELA and haven’t looked back since!
Work Experience
ELA Teacher
St. John the Baptist School
August 2023 to present
ELA Teacher
Glenwood Leadership Academy
August 2019 to October 2022
Lighting & Sound America
Editorial Assistant
September 2012 to April 2014
Jewish National Fund
Associate Art Director
June 2015 to September 2017
United States Peace Corps
Community Development Volunteer
June 2010 to July 2012
Exodus Refugee Center
English Education Volunteer
December 2008 to May 2010
Education
Post Baccalaureate Certificate,
Secondary Education
University of Evansville
August 2018 to December 2019
M.S. Educationm
Curriculum Design
Indiana University
January 2022 to present
Post Baccalaureate Certificate, TESOL
IUPUI
August 2009 to May 2010
Bachelor of Fine Arts,
Creative Writing
University of Evansville
August 2005 to December 2008
Skills & Languages
Organized
Patient
Communicative
Empathetic
Collaborative
English - Native
Romanian - Advanced High
Spanish - Intermediate low
Russian - Intermediate low
French - Intermediate low
Contact
I’m interested in collaborating on a variety of education projects — from your classroom to nationwide. Please contact me below to let me know about your project and how you’re interested in working together.