Professional Experience
I am a writer working in Charlotte, NC with an expertise in education, parenting, and travel. Specifically, I have 10 years of experience as a teacher and instructional coach and a PhD in special education with a focus on literacy intervention. I have written about education and parenting topics from the Common Core to classroom management to self-esteem in children for print and online publications including Scholastic's Parent and Child, WeAreTeachers.com, and other publications. I have written lesson plans for Scholastic's Disney and Fiskars partnerships, among others. I have published two books, one about close reading for educators (Every Reader, a Close Reader) and another about Active Reading, an evidence-based approach to read aloud, for parents (Read With Me: Engaging Your Young Child in Active Reading). My travel writing has been published in The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure Family, and more. Outside of education, I have also written relationship pieces about happiness and cheating, in-depth ar
Expertise
- Writer 10 Years
- Book Author 3 Years
Specialty
- Education 10 Years
- Family, Children & Teenagers 10 Years
- Travel 10 Years
Industries
- Academia Teaching 3 Years
- Book publishing - all 3 Years
- Publishing (non-book) - all 10 Years
Media Client List (# Assignments Last 2 Yrs)
- Scholastic Instructor Magazine(10+)
- WeAreTeachers.com(10+)
- Scholastic Administrator Magazine(10+)
- Education.com(10+)
Other work history
In addition to my writing for education outlets, my articles about everything from bats to dating has been published in Chicago Magazine, Men's Health, Marie Claire, The Detroit Metro Times, and others.
Foreign Language Skills
Spanish, American Sign Language
Awards
Wesleyan Writers Conference, Jeanne Krochalis Scholarship recipient, Middletown, CT, 2008
General Interest and Profiles
5 Reasons Men Cheat and How to Stay Faithful
(Men's Health Magazine 3/30/2015)
An article that distills research on relationships into practical advice on maintaining healthy relationships.
5 Ways to Reignite the Passion
(Men's Health Magazine 4/1/2015)
Article that distills research on relationships into practical advice for readers about keeping their relationships fresh.
In His Element
(Harvard Graduate School of Education Magazine 1/21/2009)
Profile of Harvard GSE alumnae.
Teachers and Parents
10 Things to Know About the Common Core
(Parents.com 10/1/2014)
This article explores and explains the Common Core for parents of kids in early elementary grades.
10 Ways to Talk To Your Kids about Events in the News
(Education.com 12/1/2012)
This article outlines ways that parents can help kids understand and cope with events in the news.
Maximizing Your Instruction
(Scholastic's Instructor Magazine 8/1/2011)
This article contains research-based suggestions for teachers to use to support and maximize instructional strategies.
Schools to the Rescue
(Scholastic Administrator)
An article about the ways the schools are supporting their local communities.
Is my Child Gifted?
(Scholastic Parent and Child 7/30/2018)
Information about identifying and supporting giftedness in young children.
Just Teasing
(Scholastic Parent and Child Magazine 7/30/2018)
Article that explores the potential benefits of gentle teasing for children's social development.
Read With Me: Engaging Your Young Child in Active Reading
(Rowman & Littlefield Publishers 1/31/2019)
Book about how parents can grow their young readers using Active Reading, an evidence-based read aloud strategy.
Travel
10 Places to See Before You're 10
(Travel and Leisure Family 9/1/2008)
A list of 10 places that every kid should see before they turn ten.
Beach Access
(TravelMuse.com 5/1/2008)
This article was part of a series that I wrote for TravelMuse.com about accessible travel for families with kids who have disabilities.