A Little About Me & My Philosophy

This post is meant to give you a glimpse into who I am — how I live, how I parent, and how I teach — so you can decide whether my approach feels like a good fit for your family.

First and foremost, I am a Jesus-follower. Imperfect. Loved. Forgiven. My husband, Stan, and I have four children, and our greatest calling is raising them to know and love Christ. Stan and I are wonderfully different. I’m the creative — I crave diversity, flexibility, and choice. He’s the steady one — deeply structured and faithful to routine. He leads nightly devotions with the kids as part of their bedtime rhythm. I tend to have spontaneous conversations throughout the day, helping them see how faith intersects everything we do — reading, learning, relationships, mistakes, and growth. Together, we try to model a living and active faith.

We have spent seasons homeschooling and seasons with our children in Christian schools, and I’ve taught in both public and Christian school settings as well. I genuinely believe there is value in all of the above. Every family is unique, and God has placed each parent specifically with their children for a reason. My encouragement is always the same: pray, listen, and trust His leading for your family — even when that leading changes from season to season.

We are a very low-screen household. We’re thoughtful about what our children watch and how much time they spend doing so. Most days, screens are limited to an hour or less — and many days, the TV never turns on at all.

Instead, our kids are makers. They draw, craft, build, and create things for each other and their friends. Right now, UNO is the obsession in our house and gets played almost daily. We spend a lot of time reading, playing with Legos and Magnatiles, dolls, and yes — an impressive collection of Sonic toys.

Music is also becoming an important part of our family culture.Our kids are beginning to learn music, and it’s been a joy to watch them explore rhythm, melody, and creativity. I’m a musician myself and am often involved in the worship ministry at our church. I can't wait for the family worship jam sessions I anticipate are in our future.

The only “video game” my kids regularly use is Beast Academy, which is really a math-based puzzle and critical-thinking program. I love it. It’s challenging, engaging, and excellent for growing young minds. Plus, their approach is proven to work. Otherwise, we’re a real-books, pencils-and-paper kind of home.

We also try to live intentionally in other ways — eating organic foods when possible, limiting processed foods, and starting our days slowly and peacefully. That calm beginning is largely thanks to Stan’s gift for routine… and his uncanny ability to leap out of bed the moment the alarm goes off.

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My Philosophy as a Reading Teacher

There are a few core beliefs that guide everything I do as a teacher.

First, every child is an individual made in the image of God. Children are not “almost people.” They are whole persons — from the womb onward. Our role as parents and educators is to nurture the unique ways God has made them, helping them grow in both their strengths and their weaknesses. And if a child has accepted Christ as Savior, then the Holy Spirit truly dwells within them. Part of our work is helping children learn to hear His voice and walk in obedience and confidence.

Second, children need lots of time to read real books. As I often tell my students, there are too many great books to waste your time on a bad one. Everyone is a reader — some just haven’t found the right book yet. One of my greatest joys is pairing a child with the book that sparks curiosity and launches a genuine love of reading.

Admittedly, this has become more challenging as questionable content finds its way into books for younger and younger readers. Because of that, I often lean on older, time-tested literature. I’m also grateful to see Christian authors producing more thoughtful, engaging books for middle readers that families can feel good about.

Third, children need choice.Choice leads to engagement, ownership, and confidence. My

approach to teaching reading comprehension includes a short, intentional lesson that models a skill students can apply to any book. Then, students read books they’ve chosen — books they can comfortably read independently. This allows them to practice the skill, experience success, and steadily grow into more complex texts without frustration or burnout.

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If you’re looking for a gentle, thoughtful, low-screen, faith-centered approach to reading comprehension — one that honors children as whole people and values real books, meaningful conversation, and steady growth — then you may be in the right place.

I’d be honored to walk alongside your family. 💛📚