I earned my bachelor's degree in English from the University of West Florida and my teaching certification from LeTourneau University in Houston, Texas. I am certified in English Language Arts and Reading for grades 4 through 12 in Texas. I also hold two English as a Second Language certifications and have spent most of my teaching career working with ESL students, both to help them achieve grade level and to learn how to accel at standardized tests. I have one daughter who is working on her PhD at the University of Connecticut.