Teaching
For the last five years I have taught at Pritzker College Prep in the neighborhood of Hermosa in Chicago. My first two years at Pritzker I taught 9th grade Multicultural Literature which involves teaching history through novels. For example, Night by Eli Wiesel when looking at the Holocaust, Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane when analyzing the apartheid, as well as To Kill a Mockingbird when discussing the Civil Rights era. For the last three years I have taught both College Prep World History, and AP World History to sophomores. Some of my favorite units to teach within World History are Islamic empires and revolutions, such as the French, Haitian, American, and Russian.
Noble Network of Charter Schools. "Teaching at Noble: Pritzker College Prep." YouTube, commentary by Carrie Spitz, Melinda, Ben Das, Jane Knoche, 5 February 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEA4aQHARGM
Coaching
While at Michigan State University I had the pleasure of swimming for the Mens Varsity Swim Program. During my tenure I set school records in the 200 and 400 yard Medley Relay, and the 200, 400, and 800 Freestyle Relay. In 2012 I had the wonderful opportunity to compete in the Olympic Time Trials and the following year in the World Championship Trials. Ever since I was a young child, swimming has played such a crucial role within my life and once I graduated from college I immediately went into coaching. I have had the please to coach both year-round club programs, as well as high school girls. Despite not being a swimmer anymore, coaching allows for me to still be a part of the sport I hold near and dear to my heart.
Education
In the fall of 2010 I walked onto Michigan State's campus unsure of what the next four years would. After entertaining the idea of becoming a business major for a year, I realized that it wasn't the best fit for myself and switched to something that I truly loved, history and teaching. I graduated from the College of Education in the summer of 2014 and began my year-long student-teaching requirement that fall at Troy Athens High School. After a couple of years of researching different programs I decided to pursue my Masters of the Arts in Education Technology through Michigan State University and will have completed the program in December of 2019.
"Beaumont Tower," Greater Lansing Michigan Convention & Visitors Bureau, https://www.lansing.org/listings/beaumont-tower/690/
Travel
Being a World History teacher, I challenge my students to learn about cultures that are different than that of their own. I think that when individuals take the time to learn about the different cultures that are out their they become a more well-rounded, culturally responsive individual. I am very grateful for the opportunities that I have had in my life when it comes to traveling and experiencing new cultures. With every country that I go to, I will always bring something back with me that represents the culture of that place and add it to my culture wall in my classroom. To the left you will see some of the places that I have traveled to!
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1) Elephant Nature Park- Chiang Mai, Thailand
2) Cliffs of Moher- County Clare, Ireland
3) Duomo di Firenze- Florence, Italy
4) Colosseum- Rome, Italy
5) Sedlec Ossuary- Kunta Hora, Czech Republic
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