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clay dubeHi folks - let's each offer short intros about who we are, what and where we teach. Over the next several months we'll come to learn a lot more, but for now, please just offer a quick paragraph.
AnonymousHey there,
My name is Julia Shepherd. I've been teaching 7/8 ELD, 7th LA and history for the last three years in Riverside, CA. I am so excited for this opportunity to learn with/from you all. I've always been facinated with Asian cultures (as I'm sure most of have been) but I also enjoy studying the politics and foreign relations. I can't wait to meet everyone in April!
AnonymousWelcome! I am Darlene Wanda Ockerman, and have been teaching in Torrance Unified for 9 years at West High School. Third career: my first was as an Attorney and Deputy Prosecutor of juveniles, 2nd was as a Superior Court Judge-Juvenile Division in Gary, Indiana). I have taught some ELL, but mostly Economics, Governemnt, and World History. I am so excited and thrilled I can hardly stand it. This is like a dream come true! I have had ideas for lesson plans running through my head for months, and now I will get to spend time with all of you, and we can bounce things off one another. We are going to have the learning opportunity of a lifetime, and I am so very happy to be able to be a part of it!
AnonymousI'm Courtney Lockwood of Santa Monica, California. I teach 11th and 12th grade English at Venice High School (in Venice). This is my third year at VHS and I, too, am a third-career teacher. Previously, I was a public relations consultant and then an owner of a cafe/catering business in Santa Monica. I am really looking forward to the trip, to getting to know other educators with similar interests, and to introducing my students to more Asian literature and culture.[Edit by="clockwood on Mar 13, 5:32:40 PM"][/Edit]
AnonymousHey everyone!
I'm Tracy Sprague from West High School in Torrance. I've taught in Torrance Unified for 12 years (11 at West) in the English Department. I teach mostly junior and senior English courses. I am so excited for this trip! I'm looking to infuse more Asia into my English electives entitled World Humanities and Multicultural Voices! I look forward to meeting everyone in April.
AnonymousHello! My name is Nicole Gasparik. I teach 7th grade Social Studies at Miller Middle School in San Jose. I'm looking forward to getting to meet all of you in April. What an opportunity awaits....I feel so blessed to have these doors open. I am eager to begin reading and investigating from this side of the Pacific. Preparing the soil, so to say. To a wonderful, enlightening trip. Cheers!
AnonymousHello fellow travelers! I'm Steve Perez and I teach 7th grade Social Studies at Emerson Middle School in West L.A. I've been there for 11 years, and with this trip coming up, this may be the most memorable of all. I love teaching about world history, and especially about Asia. This will truly be a dream come true for me, and I can't wait to share it with you all.
AnonymousHello!
My name is Portia Rivera, I am a second year Social Studies teacher at my alma mater South High, in Torrance. I teach 10th grade world history and 12th grade economics and government. I am very excited for our trip and I really look forward to transferring this experience into a better course experience for my students. I especially want to find ways to introduce my students to the challenging and complex political and social issues facing modern China.
I look forward to getting to know all of you better through this message board so that we aren’t strangers when we meet in person in April.
Yippee! (all this trip talk is making me excited.)
AnonymousTracy: What is World Humanities and Multicultural Voices? Is that a subset of World Literature? Are you in LAUSD? I know that World Lit is a standard 12th grade option, so wonder if your course is a "custom design"?
Courtney Lockwood
AnonymousCourtney:
I work in Torrance Unified and we are so lucky because we have an elective program for juniors and seniors. Students choose their courses by theme: World Humanities (the study of culture) and Thanatology (the study of death and grief) are classes that I took over when I was hired at West. Multicultural Voices (the study of the American ethnic writer) was an elective course that a colleague and I designed--it's an answer to our American Dream course, which is mostly comprised of dead white male American writers. We wanted a course that represented everyone else! So I guess that our elective program is a "custom designed" one. I'm lucky to work in a place that allows for creativity in curriculum design. Thanks for asking!
Tracy
AnonymousHi everyone,
My name is Ana Mitchell, and I teach at Brea Olinda High School in Brea, CA. It is located in the northern part of Orange County. I am in my sixth year of teaching, and I teach 10th grade World History and 9th grade Geography. I have a strong passion for intercultural studies and can't seem to get enough. Teaching World History and Geography is like a dream come true. After reading everyone's introduction, I am even more excited about this trip and the prospect of bringing my travel experience into my classroom next year. It will be an amazing experience to travel with other teachers who are enthusiastic about learning and eagerl to experience the Asian culture. I look forward to meeting everyone at the orientation. See you there! 😀
AnonymousHi Everyone,
My name is Linda Zarou. I also have had many careers: international training consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young, Clinical Psychologist, Poppycock Gift Shop owner, Tax Preparer for H&R Block, and mother of two grown sons. By far the most challenging and most rewarding job I have ever had is being a 6th grade English/Ancient History teacher at Johnnie L. Cochran Middle School (formerly known as Mt. Vernon) teaching Developing Readers and Writers.
From reading all of your mini-bios I am beginning to realize that a major benefit of this trip will be the opportunity to meet and develop deep friendships with a gaggle of fascinating individuals. To begin with, Courtney, we must do a Saturday Brunch on Main Street soon. I, too, live in Santa Monica and would love to hear all about teaching in Venice and teaching highschool. From the description of your pre-Venice High days it sounds like we have a lot in common.
I wish everyone would include a jpeg of themselves as part of their introductions so I could start putting names to faces.
AnonymousIf I knew how to "post" a picture I would.
It does seem like a very interesting group, doesn't it? I am really looking forward to meeting all of you.
I am close to you also, Redondo Beach. Wouldn't mind joining you for the brunch.
AnonymousHello all! My name is Sharon Farr. I am so impressed after reading the credentials of this group. I look forward to meeting some interesting people.
I teach at Troy High School in Fullerton, California. I have been teaching a class titled, Non-Western Cultures for ten years. We spend a semester studying Asia so I am very excited to finally travel to this region. I also am looking forward to travelling with a group of people who love to learn as they travel.
See you all in April!
clay dubeIf anyone would like to share a photo, you can "attach" it to your message. Simply click on the "browse" button that appears in the "writing message" screen and select the photo you wish to share. You can upload photos in .jpg or .gif format.
Some have already discovered that you can also have an image appear next to your name with each of your posts. These are called avatars and must be limited to a particular size. You can add an avatar of your own by clicking on the "profile" link near the top of the page. Remember to click on the "update profile" when you are done.