WELCOME TO MY PAGE  
I love to learn!  It doesn't matter what subject it is, I will always find a connection to science or social science - whether the topic is petrified wood or how your brain communicates. So whatever your interest is, I'm sure I will be interested in listening (and learning) to what you have to say.
I have had the fortune to work in so many different places.  I have an appreciation for the varied cultural expectations of the community in which have worked.
Teaching background:
    Started substitute teaching in 1983.

•     long term sub assignments in math, science. PE and social studies
•     Substituted for Simi Valley Unified School District
•                          Ramona USD
•                          Julian USD
•                          La Canada USD
•                          San Marino USD

    Hired to teach science in 1990.

• physical science and physics for two years for the high school
• 16 years 8th grade physical science
• The past 5 years, I have taught world history during the Summer.

 Where did I get an interest in science??

• Must have been those long trip across country! (with NO ipod, vcr, computers, cell phones)
• Must have been the comments my dad would make, "we'll get there, when we get there!  How about looking out your window and see what's out there!"
• Or it could be the times we stopped off at the side of the road and collected rocks while he told us stories about the geology of the area.  (hmmm was I listening?)
• It could have been the mushroom rocks that I saw or the salt mine we visited (my grandpa was the blacksmith there) while we were in Kansas and wondered how they got there.
• It could have also been the many camping trips we took out to no where and saw billions and billions of stars and a few planets.
• Come to think about it, it could have also been the 100s of times I have made the trip to Disneyland as a child (my brother and I use to celebrate our birthdays there) and tried to determine if Monsanto could really shrink people, or why did we feel sick after the teacup ride.
• I had a passion for asking the question why?  And the answer I nearly always got was... "think about it, then let me know."

My family

• an older sister, Marti, also a teacher;
• an older brother, Mark,  a minister.
• Yep, you guessed it, I'm the youngest in the family.
• I have two children:

    Brenna, my 28-year-old daughter

• graduate of UCLA major in English, and enough units for a minor in science
• spent 4 months in Spain, 2 weeks in Kenya, 2 weeks in the Phillippines
• living/working in Chicago,
• writer for a computer company (parent company in Australia) what makes kernels (kernels allow software programs to work together)
• was the ghost writer (managing editor) for a medical doctor

    Chris, my 21 year old son

•  graduate from LCHS in 2005
•  a senior at CSUN (Cal State Northridge) will graduate this December
• film student
• loves working behind the scenes, has worked on shorts, features, and student projects as DP/gaffer/electrician
• the coach for special team for our  Spartan Varsity Football team

What I love to do when I'm not at school.

• love to garden.
•     vegetable and herb gardens if the gophers will let me.  Currently, I'm in a battle with them.  They are winning!
•     planted a low maintenance, Xeroscape, beautiful native garden in the front yard.
• Into biking
•     I do it for fun, Mondays and Fridays
•     Recently rode for the Tour de Cure in Long Beach =15 miles
• Walk the dogs (Kira and Pablo) up into the hills behind my house every day.

love to travel

•     Mostly frequenting Sedona
•         side trip to Petrified Forest, Painted Desert and the Meteor Crater and visiting small towns on Route 66
•     Two different islands of Hawaii
•             Kaui -  Environmental Science class for two weeks  what an adventure hiking Waimai Canyon in Jan.
•             Hawaii - Walking across the caldera of the volcano and staying at the Volcano House
•     Traveled to Europe when I was in 6th grade. too many memories to mention.
•     Dream Vacations:
•         cruises to Alaska and through the Panama
•         trip to Florida to visit Disney World and the Epcot Center
•         see Mt Kilimanjaro
•         the moon (will maybe I'll work while I'm there)

California Living

• grew up in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas.
• graduated from Chula Vista High School
• began my college education at the University of the Pacific in Stockton as a music therapy major
• transferred to San Diego State
•     graduated with a degree in liberal studies, emphasis in psychology, sociology, music.
• moved to Chicago
•     worked at Northwestern University Transportation Library.
•         enjoy the work for 3 years.
• moved back to California.
•     went back to school, taking science classes!
•     substituting at the time
•     returned to San Diego State to complete requirements for a degree in Social Science (that was a fast way for me to get a credential).
•     completed my credential work at USIU (United States International University)
•     continued taking science classes
•     added science to my credential and have been enjoying teaching science ever since!

Love of technology

• use of webquesting and webpages in the classroom as a major teaching tool
• classroom notes are in the form of powerpoints with reference and links to internet websites.
• I have taken classes online
• attended the Pinnacle Training with the creators of Pinnacle Grading 2
• worked for Classroom Connects as a TA for online classes for teachers .
• frequent Jibjab, You Tube and Teacher Tube.

 
 

Enjoys adventures like biplane riding	Yosemite Institute (pix taken at the Wawona Hotel)	Leslie Turnipseed and I at the Tour de Cure	Having fun with Mrs. Cockerill at Disneyland... hmm look who is winning.  ;-)
Chris as an electrician with the reflective screen for light	viewing the meteor crater - it's a big hole but what a story!	The sign says to take a look inside and see what's it's like to living there for a week.  I think I like the wide open spaces best.