2004-2007

Barb is a highly qualified teacher in self-contained elementary and middle school math. She is an original fellow of the Alaska State Math Consortium and also a fellow of the Alaska State Writing Consortium. In addition, she is a member of Residential Outdoor Environmental Educators (ROEE). Barb is currently serving as Vice-President of the National Education Association in Alaska (NEA-Alaska).

Although she received her teaching credential from Oregon State University in Corvallis, all of Barb's 26 years of teaching experience has been in Alaska. She taught 7th and 8th grades in Goodnews Bay, high school in Nightmute, and grades K-12 in Bethel. Barb was also an instructor in the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cross-Cultural Education (XCED) program at the Kuskokwim campus and served as the Program Founder and Director of the Nyac Outdoor School Program.

 

"What is the best thing about being a teacher? Wow! The chance to help others become more knowledgeable and interested in the world around them is the greatest job imaginable! There is constant change and newness as each school year begins and it's an opportunity to help expand my own understanding as well as that of my students. I can't see myself doing anything else!"

"I am looking forward to my third year of mentoring because sharing the successes and challenges for each teacher is fantastic. It pushes me to explore so many areas of education as we problem solve each new issue. I enjoy the expansion of my own knowledge of different content areas, and building understanding of the developmental levels of different students is wonderful. The camaraderie and learning from mentor colleagues is another highlight because there is so much expertise within the mentoring group. I am very proud of the support received from my own school district for the mentor project, as well as the support from NEA-Alaska."