About Me
Hello. I am just a regular person trying to survive my teaching career. I just started year 19 as of January 2025. I teach in a large (~2800 student), public suburban/urban high school in Virginia.
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If this blog made a teacher's day better, I would really be proud of that. We need good teachers. It's a hard job and people burn out quickly.
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I teach or have taught every level of high school English. These days I am more into teaching reading and learning about how to do that successfully at the high school level. (Right now I am learning how to use Wilson's Just Words program).
Most days I am a mess and some days I get it together. Those are the good days. Some years I am a mess and some years I get it together. Those are the good years. ​​
In my district, we have never had a strict curriculum, so I have always had to create my own materials; that's where all the raw material for this blog comes from.
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I have 4 dogs because I am a psycho (but you already knew that because I am a teacher).
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Contact: Ericamargaret5@gmail.com
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Resume
Education
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BA in English- University of Mary Washington- 2005,
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Masters in Education, Reading Specialist- University of Virginia- 2011.
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Certifications & Endorsements
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National Board Certification-2017/Renewed 2022
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ESL Endorsement
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Reading Specialist Endorsement
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Teaching Experience/Work History
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Arlington Public School High School English and Reading Teacher (2008-2024)
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All levels and grades (AP/IB/Self-Contained/Grade Level/SOL Test Prep)
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High School Reading Specialist (2022-2024)
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​.2 position at my high school.
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Private Tutor (on & off)​
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State Test Prep (SOL)​
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SAT Prep (Verbal/Writing)
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Homework help
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Arlington Public School Middle School English Teacher (2005-2008)
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8th Grade​
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