Background: I was born in Las Vegas, NV, and previously lived in New Mexico and New York before moving to the Bay Area almost 10 years ago.

Personal interests: I love spending time with my children as well as decorating cakes and meandering around the San Francisco Flower Market.

Professional interests: I am interested in pediatric bedside nursing either in med-surg or a similar setting. I love working with children, especially the underserved and those with special needs. Working in a the community is also of great interest to me, such as in schools or clinics.

Professional development: After completing my degree, I hope to work in a facility that encourages staff to continue learning. I also hope to gain further certifications including eventually testing for my Clinical Nurse Specialist Certification in pediatrics.

Teaching philosophy: My teaching philosophy revolves around meeting each person where they are.  People learn in a variety of ways.  Thus, I believe it is important to utilize multiple instructional methods, including visual, auditory, and hands-on frameworks.

Preferred education model: When designing an education plan or presentation, I tend to utilize a cognitive constructivism approach based on the work of Jean Piaget. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development proposes that learners cannot be simply given information which they will immediately understand. Instead, learners must use what they have been given to construct their own knowledge through experience (Learning-Theories.com, 2019). This experiential learning and hand-on approach allows learners to own their knowledge such that it becomes part of their world.  Such experiential learning is essential for nursing practice, especially as emerging evidence-based practices are incorporated into the health care setting.

Instructional experiences: Prior to nursing school I spent a summer semester teaching geometry to inmates at San Quentin Prison. I also served as a long-term substitute librarian at local K-8 school. More recently, I was a teaching assistant for two semesters of SFSU’s N794 Research and Evidence-based Practice in Nursing. I was also instrumental during my Master’s clinical rotation in assisting with nurse orientation to our newly constructed new hospital.

Feedback received regarding instruction experiences: During my courses at SFSU, I have had many opportunities to present in front of the class, and, whenever possible, have incorporated instructor and peer feedback into my subsequent lessons and presentations.  Also, during my time as a teaching assistant I graded and provided comments for many papers, often going back and forth with students as they refined their work.  In terms of public speaking, I have learned to watch my pace and speak slowly and succinctly.  Sometimes you just need to take a big breath before you begin!