BACKGROUND
Born in Duluth, I was raised in northern Minnesota, graduating from Proctor High School in 1992. I suppose it was my rural upbringing which led to an interest, and later, university education in the natural sciences. In August of 1996, I graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth campus with a bachelor of science in biology. Likewise, due to my interests and involvements in coaching soccer to youths, I pursued a degree in education, receiving my bachelor of applied science in secondary education in the spring of 2000 from the same university, with licenses to teach the middle school sciences (grades 5-9) and the life sciences (grades 7-12).
From 2000-2004, I taught secondary science, primarily middle school earth and life science, at public schools around the Minneapolis metropolitan area. During this time, I continued to coach soccer to youths as well as coaching a season of middle school track and field. All of my coaching experiences in both soccer and track and field were absolutely fantastic. In 2004, with my love of education from those teaching and coaching experiences, and my passion for experiencing new places and cultures, I moved to Ilsan, South Korea, where I lived and taught ESL for six years. |
From 2011 until February of 2016, I taught grade 6 at Young Hoon Elementary School in Seoul. During this time, I remained living in Ilsan while each day commuting 90 minutes to and from school. Even though the daily ride into Seoul was exhausting, I really enjoyed exploring Seoul, and I truly loved teaching at Young Hoon; the administration was warm and the other faculty members were nice, but it really was the students who made my time there so delightful. Some of those same students are now at Chadwick, and I look forward to seeing them once again as I am now a proud member of Chadwick International here in Songdo. I am also looking forward to a much shorter commute into work each morning. ;)
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Let me move away from talking about what led me to where I am and the direction I hope to take, and instead talk about the interests I have outside of school. In my spare time, I keep myself fairly busy with activities many people enjoy, such as running, soccer, or simply meeting up with friends for a bbq now and then. However, a few years I go I began kiteboarding which is absolutely amazing! Kiteboarding is not only exciting in itself, but it has taken me to some quite interesting places along the coast of Korea, Thailand and my own home state of Minnesota. Aside from that, I also love to travel, as many international teachers do. I have been to a fair number of countries, and I hope to visit many more on my journey through life.
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