While pursuing a graduate degree in Political Science at the University of Michigan in the Fall of 1984, I happened upon a television program, anchored by Peter Jennings, about the National Commission on Excellence in Education's report, A Nation At Risk. After watching, I was inspired to respond to the call for teachers with a deep interest and strong academic background in their subject areas. My interest in pursuing a graduate degree was in large part due to my desire to teach, and I went to talk to an advisor in the School of Education the next day.

In his speech to the NEA in July of 2009, Secretary Arne Duncan described the qualities of a great educator as, "dedicated, professional, compassionate, serious, and responsible." I could not agree more with the Department of Education's initiative to promote effective teaching and administration. As an AP United States Government and Politics teacher, I have a keen interest in government policy at all levels, and I am looking forward to combining my passion for teaching and my fascination with government policy as a Teaching Fellow. I earned a B. A. in political science with honors from Miami University and a M. A. in history, and I plan to pursue a second Master's or PhD in either public policy or educational leadership.

Since 1987, I have taught American history, Western civilizations, and government at accelerated and AP levels, as well as general levels, at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am familiar with preparing students for standardized tests and trying to reach students who struggle with academic, behavior, and motivation problems. I have taught on my own and as a member of an interdisciplinary team. I welcome the challenge of ensuring that all students learn what they need to thrive in our 21st century global society. The diversity in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, combined with their dedication to eradicating the achievement gap, and my state's "commitment to deep and sustained education reform, stemming from a decade-long economic crisis," (Michigan Race to the Top Application) inspire me to be part of the nationwide effort to improve our schools.

My curriculum design skills came in handy when I created units for the University of Michigan's Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies on "The History of St. Petersburg in Architecture," which are available online and have been accessed by many teachers around the country. In 2009, I applied and was selected for a Summer Teaching Fellowship with C-SPAN in Washington, D.C., during which I worked with C-SPAN's Education Team to develop and enhance its online resources for teachers. I am currently working for C-SPAN as one of eleven national Ambassador Educators, conducting workshops and exhibits at educational conferences and making contacts to educational leaders in my region. As a part of my work for C-SPAN and my own professional development, I am researching how to integrate the most current technology into my curriculum. In the Fall of 2009, one of my C-SPAN fellowship colleagues and I combined our AP United States History and Government classes on a social networking site. We created interactive assignments using the Virginia Governor's race as a case study for units on campaigns, voting, and elections. During the 2009 – 2010 school year, I worked on bringing the community to the classroom through sponsoring a student panel discussion with local congressmen and inviting professors and instructors from local institutions of higher education to speak to students regarding various topics in American history.