HEllo! I'm Erin.
I’m so glad to connect with you.
My teaching story started probably pretty similar to yours–with nothing. There was no curriculum, no scope and sequence calendar, no common assessments, only some old textbooks and state standards. I was deep in survival mode, but I knew all this isolated effort was pretty ridiculous.
Let’s Cultivate Greatness is my passion project to bring you implement-tomorrow teaching strategies and download-and-go lesson materials so you aren’t spending your Sundays and summers making everything from scratch like I had to.
My Background
I’ve taught high school social studies and history for nearly 20 years in both suburban and rural high schools in Washington State.
Over the years, and through much experimentation, I’ve shifted my lessons to be inquiry-centered and primary source-based because that’s what makes things interesting and real for students. This approach changes the end goal from memorizing knowledge to wondering, forming positions, and engaging in the real world.
I have a B.A. in History and English and a Master’s in Secondary Education. In 2009, I earned my National Boards Certification. Outside the classroom, I love mentoring new teachers and candidates working towards their National Boards.
My Specialties
My favorite subjects to teach have been US History, Civics, Sociology, and Global Issues (which is a mix of current issues and human geography). I love how social science concepts can be so easily applied to the real world and create life lessons every day, no matter the topic.
I’ve also served as a student council advisor, which is a great way to teach leadership, social, and life skills in a non-academic setting.
Besides making ready-to-go resources, I love blogging about how I build them into engaging lessons. And recently, I accomplished a lifelong goal of writing a workbook-style Civics curriculum book designed to work great in both classroom and homeschool settings.
