Arizona Coyotes October 2023 Teacher of the Month
Future GoalsTM Program
Arizona Coyotes October 2023 Teacher of the Month
Tell us about yourself!
My mother was a teacher and I became a teacher. I married a teacher and we have two sons. I started teaching in 2007. I taught first grade, middle school technology and then second grade. I stayed home with our sons when they were born and worked for a local YMCA. I started teaching technology again to K-3, then technology to 7-9, and now STEM to 7th and 8th. What I love most about teaching is the students when they learn something new, or realize their mistakes and figure out a way to fix it. It shows me that they are learning just like me, learning from mistakes and not afraid to try new things. I am invovled in my community teaching Sunday School and coaching my sons’ hockey teams. I also coach my middle school cross country team. Teaching and coaching are my life and I love it!
What is your favorite part of the Future Goals™program? How do you see STEM in the game of hockey?
I love how Future Goals brings my passion for hockey into my classroom and my students can see and feel my real passion for it. My students know that I’m a hockey coach and so this program is a great fit for me. As a STEM teacher I love sharing my love of hockey with my STEM students. It gives my classroom a great team team feel. I see STEM all over the place in hockey. Triangles! Angles! Improvements of skates and sticks are iterations that engineers make to keep improving the game!
Who is your favorite NHL® player and why?
My favorite current NHL player is Nick Bjugstad. Like me, he is also 6′ 6″. He plays for the Arizona Coyotes and is number 17, my favorite number. My all-time favorite player is Jaromír Jágr. He is Czech, like my ancestors.
If you played hockey, what position would you play and why?
I do play hockey! My favorite position is defense. My sons play defense and I like protecting the house. My son is also a goalie so I have a fondness for that position as well. I guess as a teacher I’m in the field of protecting kids as they come to me with all of their life’s hurts and problems and I try to give them an hour of fun learning in STEM class. I’m also rather big and tall so I have a good reach and long stick.