Hi, nice to meet you!

A little more about me…

I was a middle school English teacher in Kalamazoo, MI for 12 years. Now, I consult on writing curriculums and resources. Writing Mindset started because I wanted a place to reflect, share, and also put pen to paper (fingers to keyboard) my thoughts. I love writing. I have since I was little. I didn’t always love reading, but somehow the two worlds merged together into one when I decided to become an English Language Arts teacher. The thing is, I figured out that reading and writing are just the way I do business in all areas of my life. I can attach the acts of reading and writing to every single part of my life both inside and outside the classroom.

In the third grade, I found The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley with the help of my librarian, Mrs. Reistrar. I was raised in a household where reading mattered, and whenever we went to libraries I was given the freedom to wander. If you fast-forward through my timelines you can see many different times when I chose to wander around stacks of books. Even on bad days now, you will find me in a bookstore. I will forever love the local independent bookstore, This is a Bookstore & Bookbug, in Kalamazoo, MI. I don’t read as many horse books now, but the message has remained the same from when I was young: Give books to kids that they want to read. This may not always be about windows and mirrors; this may be about passion and heart. 

My journey with writing has produced this blog, Writing Mindset. I started writing poetry when I was young. I would scribble my thoughts in verse from the time I was a young girl. It was a lot of bad and beautiful poetry.  It was a place of emotional release when I was frustrated. I hold this passion in my classroom and give time for students to write each week because they need it. We all need it. Writing is a way to communicate with the world, but more importantly, it is a way to communicate with our own minds. I still am grateful for Mrs. Lamp in 7th grade for making me learn how to diagram sentences, but I am more excited that I get to take the makeups of who I am as a reader and writer now and share them with my students, fellow teachers, and any readers that seem to make it to the blog.

Still have questions? Let’s do some Q &A.

HOW LONG WERE YOU A TEACHER?

I was a middle school English Language Arts teacher from 2010-2022. I started teaching at an alternative middle school, and then I transferred to a bigger middle school for 10 years. My school had around 900 students in total. I have taught sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade English Language Arts. I am also certified to teach Speech/Debate. For six months, I worked as a Secondary Literacy Coach before becoming a curriculum consultant.

DID YOU COACH OR SPONSOR ANYTHING AT SCHOOL? WHAT OTHER “ROLES” DID YOU HAVE?

Teachers get asked to wear many hats. During my time teaching, I was my team’s interdisciplinary team’s team leader. I also spent some time facilitating my building’s School Improvement Meetings. I love using strategies from Adaptive Schools to navigate data and have tough conversations. My favorite role was presenting professional development for my former district in English Language Arts content and helping facilitate training related to Cultural Responsive Education. 

I SAW SOME POSTS ON WRITING CAMPS AT WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY. WHERE CAN I SEE MORE INFORMATION?

I was a part of the National Writing Project’s Third Coast Camp for Young Writers at WMU from 2014-2021! Each summer, we had kids grades 3rd-8th come together to write stories, share laughs, and make some memories on campus. Want to see my photo scrapbook? Click here. 

DID YOU KNOW YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL?

I did my internship in high school. I thought I wanted to teach high school and all things American Literature. Then, I was hired into my district’s alternative middle school (the night before new teachers were supposed to report) and have never looked back. I love middle school. It is the perfect age group for my personality and energy level. 

WHY IS IT CALLED WRITING MINDSET? DON’T YOU TEACH READING, TOO? I ALSO SEE OTHER TOPICS THAT AREN’T ABOUT TEACHING ON HERE. 

I published a blog post on why I called the blog Writing Mindset. Simply, it was a name I couldn’t shake. I am a reader AND a writer, but I use writing in every aspect of my life. Writing is my anchor for positivity. If I can shift myself to a positive place through writing, why not adopt that mindset on a daily basis? I do talk about reading on the blog just as much as I talk about writing. I also love to talk about life outside of teaching including being a new mama, eating good food, spending time with family, and finding overall wellness. 

ANY ADVICE FOR NEW TEACHERS?

I love talking to new teachers and pre-service teachers! I like to start by building a natural sense of curiosity and building resilience through trial and error. Try things out and figure out what matters in your classroom based on your style and energy. I always urge new teachers to start with classroom management and building relationships. This could involve attention signals, movement, transitions, and engagement. You don’t have to be at level 100 every day of class, but kids can tell if you are happy doing what you are doing each day. I was recently asked when I was presenting what three words would describe a great teacher intern. I said: 1.) Adaptability 2.) Curiosity and 3.) Love

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY TOOLS?

• Google Classroom/Google Suite

• Kahoot/Blooket

• Nearpod

• EdPuzzle

• NewsELA/Commonlit

• Flipgrid

• Quizlet/Quizizz

WOULD YOU EVER QUIT TEACHING?

I quit teaching in December of 2022. My family relocated across the country, and it has given me time to think about my role in education and what is next for me. I think every teacher would admit that they either have thought about it or routinely reflect on perhaps doing something else. Teaching is hard. I devote a lot of time to the mindset part and the life outside of the teaching parts of Writing Mindset because everyone needs to focus on self-care. You will see lots of resources and posts regarding how to prevent burnout and stay in the profession because I spent over a decade trying to stay healthy and motivated in my role as a classroom teacher.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH TEACHING?

• Hanging out with my husband, Justin, and our toddler baby daughter.

• Being outside as much as possible

• Taking in new mountain views

• Anything makeup/beauty related (Ulta and Sephora)

• Summer bonfires/S’mores

• Anything with fall leaves/Pumpkins

• Learning how to build a website and blog

• Learning how to film and edit videos for webinars and courses

• Learning how to cook 

• Fixing things around the house. I love to paint!

WHAT’S YOUR STARBUCKS ORDER?

This is an easy one…Grande Caramel Macchiato with Nonfat Milk.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO SELF-CARE AFTER A ROUGH DAY?

Writing and journaling will always be an outlet for me. I have recently discovered that the baby giggles of a little girl are the cure for almost anything. However, I also love watching TV shows like 90 Day Fiance’ or Married At First Sight to unwind after a long day. I love scrolling through Pinterest to get some ideas for Writing Mindset, but I also love to scroll through inspirational images, home decor, cooking ideas, and beautiful scenery.

FAVORITE FAST FOOD?

Noodles and Company pad thai with shrimp

FAVORITE BEAUTY PRODUCT?

Anything Fenty by Rihanna. I love their foundation, bronzer, concealer, powders, and lip glosses. Makeup products at Ulta or Sephora are some of my guilty splurges on a bad day. 

FAVORITE SNACK?

Chips and salsa. I could eat an entire tub of Garden Fresh Wild Mild salsa in one sitting.