I received my Bachelor of Science in Education from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin Missouri. I later received certification as a Reading Recovery Teacher from Southeast Missouri State University.

My teaching experience consists of 32 years as a elementary school teacher in the states of Missouri and Texas. Much of this experience was as a first grade classroom teacher; however I also taught 4th grade and Kindergarten. In later years I worked in the Title I program as a Reading Recovery teacher for K-3 grades and then the last few years of my career I taught reading to 4-6th grade students. I have tutored in numerous after school situations as well as tutored during the summer. I have a passion for helping children to meet their academic goals.

After retiring I continued to tutor both online and in person. I spent the last 3 years working with Non-English speaking students to learn the English language. This was an online platform that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I believe my strength would lie in the art of encouragement. I have found that most children who struggle do so because they do not think they can succeed. I start the process of building confidence by sincere and systematic encouragement. If a child believes in himself then he or she will succeed. I have found that building confidence is as important as building skills.

I would welcome the opportunity of working with children in order to lay a foundation of confidence and success.