About me

Education and encouraging growth in others has been a lifelong pursuit for me. I have done many things in my life, but this desire to help others learn and develop has been the common thread that connects my many experiences. Through my years of working with children as a babysitter and a teacher of music and English, I feel I have developed a special ability to interact with children. I have learned how to not only teach material, but also how to teach life lessons, soft skills (like listening, waiting for instructions, sharing, good manners, etc.) and the ability to think critically. I have also learned how to head off potential problems before they occur.

Any time I work with children, I try to set up the environment in such a way that the child understands what to expect. For example, I always explain to my students that we are a team -- we are working together to have fun and learn, and in order to do that, we need to have respect for each other, listen to the other person and always have a good attitude. It is always surprising and so rewarding for me to see the difference in some of my younger piano and tutoring students who are so resistant in the beginning of their lessons compared to their attitudes after they get used to following a few simple guidelines for behavior. I am so happy that I am able to serve others in this way and share the knowledge I have learned through my years of teaching.

As a teacher, I have always been passionate about helping young people develop and grow. I have been working with children since I was teenager when I began babysitting regularly for a family of four (a boy, two twin girls and an infant) regularly on weekends and after school. I am a musician, and I began teaching piano and voice lessons to local children in my hometown at age 14 and have not stopped since. I was also a straight A student and began tutoring other students who needed extra help at a young age. Through these early experiences, I found I loved helping other people develop the skills and abilities they needed to become successful. I also discovered I am a natural nurturer -- I feel most fulfilled when I am interacting with others in this manner. Thus, when I chose my major in college, I naturally gravitated towards education -- after all, I had already been an unofficial educator for years.

I had regular babysitting jobs throughout college, including one long-term position for a little girl with autism that lasted for multiple years. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I completed a Master's in Education, obtained my teaching certification for grades 6-12 and became a secondary English teacher. My training to become a teacher also included certification in first aid and CPR through the American Red Cross as well as extensive training and hands-on experience with special needs children. During my time as a teacher, I also maintained my private studio of piano and voice students (as I still do to this day).

I have been a teaching artist in residence for a children's musical theatre outreach program at a local university in my hometown for the past five summers. Each summer, two other teachers and I are responsible for four weeks of all-day camp with 50 students ages 7-12 and three weeks of all-day camp with 50 students ages 13-18. I currently teach music at Larchmont Music Academy where I maintain a studio of 26 students, ages 4-16, plus a few adult students. I also teach three (one elementary, one middle school and and one high school) vocal ensembles. I am also a certified private tutor with Varsity Tutors and have worked with various students in New York City, ranging from five year olds who need help learning to read to NYU students who need assistance writing application essays for law school. I recently graduated from Manhattan School of Music with a master's in vocal jazz. I have been actively teaching in private music studios and at MSM's residential summer camp where I and a team of four others are responsible for about 60 kids ages 12-18 for an entire month. At this camp, I have gained extensive experience taking kids on mass transit and showing them everything NYC has to offer.