Why did you decide to become a teacher?

My older sister is 10 years older than me and became an elementary school teacher. I would go and visit her class towards the end of the school year and loved interacting with the students. They always managed to put a smile on my face and could tell my sister genuinely enjoyed going to work each day. As she puts it, “I can’t believe we get paid to do what we do”.

What has been your most memorable moment as a teacher?

It is very hard to pick a single moment as each year brings new faces and new relationships, which is one of my favorite parts of being a teacher. I love teaching Science, but some of the best moments of the day are the interactions I have in the hallway with my current and former students.

What is your favorite part of Future Goals and how are you using it in your classroom?

For the past handful of years, I have been using Future Goals to introduce Kinetic and Potential Energy to my students. The puck being dropped is a simple, yet effective way to have the students make a real-world connection to how energy is transformed from one type to the other. I am also an Islander fan so it gives me an opportunity to let the students see what I enjoy outside of school, which helps foster relationships. I always enjoy the banter back and forth between the Islander and Ranger fans when I introduce this topic each year!

Who was your students reaction to Future Goals?

The students really enjoy it! Hockey fans, especially Islander fans, enjoy it for obvious reasons. Even students that do not love hockey enjoy the videos and interactives that go along with lesson.

Who is your favorite hockey player?

This is very tough, but I think I would go Anders Lee. He is the Islanders’ captain and leads by example. He is not afraid to do the “dirty” work to help the team win.