About Me
I am a life-long learner who grew up in California before pursuing my education at Cornell University in New York. I earned my B.A. in English before returning to California, where I am earned my Single Subject credential through Cal State San Marcos. I also have a Master's in Education. I have taught at GOHS since 2016, and I currently teach 9th grade and AP English Language and Composition.
I got married in early summer 2019, when I went from being Miss Johnson to Mrs. Aaker. Aside from spending time with my awesome husband, I love hanging out with my friends and family (including my twin sister), having deep conversations, and watching Marvel movies. My hobbies include running, reading, writing, and cooking. In the past I have tutored middle- and high-school students in math and English, volunteered in Sunday school and youth group, and led an after-school program on creative writing and problem-solving. Before I started teaching a philosophy class after school, I was an assistant coach for the cross country and track teams here at GO. |
Writers/thinkers/speakers who have influenced me include: William Wilberforce, Victor Hugo, John and Abigail Adams, Elizabeth C Stanton, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Martin Luther King, Jr., C.S. Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, and John Piper.
Why I Teach
ScheduleLearning Style
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1st period: prep
2nd period: pre-AP English 9 3rd period: pre-AP English 9 4th period: AP English Language & Composition 5th period: AP English Language & Composition 6th period: AP English Language & Composition According to this multiple intelligence test, my highest intelligences are linguistic, intrapersonal, and musical. However, I will do my best to accommodate multiple kinds of intelligences in my class, not just my own! After all, according to a personality test, I am a "natural nurturer" who is sensitive to the needs of others and likes when everyone is in harmony.
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My Educational Philosophy and Classroom Expectations
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Student-Centered Learning
Education is moving away from thinking young people passively take in information from their teachers, and toward giving students authentic, important work related to the world around them. Yes, students are "the future," but they can also be engaged, informed citizens now. Art imitates life; art also inspires life. It is my hope that students can use their personal experiences as a basis for what we learn in class, and that they can also take what we learn in class and apply it to their lives. My goal is for our work to be relevant and important. That means, like in real life, students will view a variety of texts (speeches, articles, poems, short stories, novels, etc.), and their knowledge will be assessed in a variety of ways (yes, essays, but also presentations, shared inquiry, gallery walks, and other informal presentations of learning). Social Learning
Technology in the Classroom
Assessments and Projects
Character Development and Individual Accountability
Plagiarism
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