Teaching has been my passion and in many ways it permeates every aspect of my personal and professional life. I see education as the essential force for each of us to survive and the relationships we build in the process are what allow us to thrive. In every course I teach, I reiterate the importance of teacher training being a combination of information and formation. The two cannot be separated. The relationships I have fostered with family, friends, former & current students as well as colleagues around the world have in many ways been fundamental to my formation.
The blessing and curse, the paradox of my life is that I thoroughly enjoy so many varied aspects of life. I have a passion for teaching and even more important—to be part of the process in training people to become passionate teachers. I feel called to work with people on the margins and to advocate for those who may be disregarded by others in society. I embrace the challenge of being a sign language interpreter in a variety of settings—whether it is for a presidential candidate, a job interview, a workshop or the dedication of a state of the art education building. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people and fostering relationships with a wide variety of people.
I firmly believe that education and mentors are the foundation for effecting change in any community. While collaborating with UNAN-León, I also work with the teachers and students at La Escuela de Sordos. Training teachers in Nicaragua has been just one example of the importance of education and having mentors to make a difference for people in poverty. Teachers must first be given the tools to teach, especially when they are a product of a flawed education system. Using a new sign language and very basic teaching methodologies, in Nicaragua, I am just as much the teacher and the student.