After earning a degree in broadcasting from Arizona State University, I went back to school to get a Master’s in Education, Secondary Education Curriculum and Instruction and get my teaching certificate in the process.

Graduating in 2009 and the middle of the recession made it incredibly difficult to find a teaching job, so I became an Academic Counselor at Grand Canyon University, where I earned a second bachelor's degree in History to be a better social studies teacher.

I worked in Lake Havasu City at a small school for three years where I was the only social studies teacher for the grades 9-12 at a charter school.

After three years I returned to my home base of Phoenix, Arizona to work at a slightly bigger small district school, teaching Honors U.S. History to large groups of juniors for eight years. There I only had one section to teach, so I was able to hone my pedagogical skills, trying out all manner of teaching strategies and philosophies, keeping what worked and moving on from what didn’t. I recognized the privilege of being able to focus on one subject and I took advantage of it every chance I could.

Even when I took time away from teaching, I kept an eye and an ear on the world of pedagogy. Of all the things I miss, I miss creating fun learning activities, about thoughtful essential questions that challenge students to think more about their learning than just passing a test. I’m eager to get back into the public school system, either as a classroom teacher or as an instructional coach.