About Me

 

So, my web designer says I have to write an “about me” section to show my credentials and why what I have to say is worth listening to.

But Extreme Writing works – it builds ideation and enthusiasm while building fluency. If I had every degree in the world – that wouldn’t make me right. If I had held every important job in the world – that wouldn’t make me right. Extreme Writing is right…because it works.

Still – only to humour my web designer, who’s a great guy…here’s some stuff about me.

The Work of Life

I’ve been a teacher at both elementary and secondary levels – but currently my teaching ideas are for grade 4-8. 

In reverse order, I’ve been a District Administrator for Professional and Community Services ( over 20 years – yikes!) in a district with 30,000 students. 

 I’ve been a consultant for 3 years to the Ministry of Education developing curriculum 

K-12 (British Columbia has a centralized education system.) Our offices were in St. Ann’s Academy a former convent and all girls’ Catholic school. We had

 an actual historic chapel built in 1859.

I’ve been a Humanities Department head in a secondary school and a vice-principal in an elementary school – but not a principal, so I don’t give advice on how to be a principal. Tough job!

I have a ton of energy, so while having a career and having a family (husband Wayne, son Jonathan, daughter-in-law Jesse, grandkids Max and Charlotte), I’ve written books – and given lots of workshops.  We also travel a lot – and have visited 66 countries and counting.

I read a lot – fiction, non-fiction, tons of children’s books, books about studies that have been done – anywhere – not just education studies. I’m hugely eclectic. Only I don’t like sad books – well, or violent books – but everything else is open season.

And, I’ve always been a writer – with my trusty fountain pen (and of course a computer.) I love to bring ideas to life. 

 I’m an info pack rat too – I collect interesting studies and quotes – mainly in education.  

That’s me…and yet not – if you know what I mean.  All of us are a lot more than a few words on a page. (And my upbringing says bragging isn’t nice.)

The Stuff I’ve Published

  • The Power of Extreme Writing (ASCD)
  •  Co-author on a Language Arts series, Bridges (Prentice Hall)
  •  Project head and the author for The French Idea Box – currently published as Carte Blanche (Addison Wesley)
  • Author of Shhh! Canadian Scientists and Inventors Rule! – an ABC picture book
  • The Indispensable Binder (to put all your documents in)
  • How Hard Can It Be? (Charterhill Press)
  • Over 30 teacher units
  • 4 Travelling Festivals – Science Jam, Science Alley, the Math Arcade, and Down the Time Tunnel with Books
  • The Workshop Organizers’ Little Red Book (Scholastic)
  • I’m Spelling Now! (A spelling list organizer for primary students)

Bonkers (Preschool Literacy Activities) Langley Advance

Awards

  • Governor General’s Flight to Freedom Literacy Award (a national award)
  • AMTEC Outstanding Achievement in Media (for my project on videos for parents to help students with math and science at home.) (a national award)
  • Canadian Library Association Award of Merit (for my project Building a Community of Readers) 
  • Ma Murray Award for Service to the Community ( from the BC Association of Newspaper Publishers for Bonkers – a one-year literacy partnership with the Langley Advance News).