About Me

So, I came to teaching in a bit of a round-about manner.  It all started in high school.  See, I was dead-set on becoming a zookeeper.  I was volunteering at the Oregon Zoo, working with one of the roving keepers (we got to work with all the animals in the zoo!), and absolutely LOVING it.  I thought, "Yes, this is what I want to do!"

However, about that same time, my violin teachers asked me to join their Teacher Training class.  And when I say "ask," I mean they said, "Oh, Ashley, you're going to be in our teacher training class.  It's Friday afternoons, when you're here anyway.  Bring a binder."  And, being the obedient child that I was, I did.  I really did NOT want to teach music, but like they said, I was there all Friday afternoon anyway.  Why not learn how to teach?

So, I went through high school, doing my very best to prepare myself to be a zookeeper, while at the same time doing the student teaching thing.  I had a couple violin students in high school; three or four.  Not many, but that was okay with me.  Besides, I didn't want to teach when I grew up, anyway.

In college, I kept up with my track to be a zookeeper.  I got my Bachelor's of Science in Zoology from Colorado State University, and really loved it.  I decided I wanted to work long term with birds.  After college, I ended up with a job at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, in Tacoma, WA.  So, with the help of my parents, I moved to Tacoma, and started working in the zoo world.

For the most part, it was a lot of fun.  I worked in the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater (ever see a bird show in a zoo?  Yep, this was it, only with all sorts of animals), which was a bit different for me.  I have never considered myself much of a people person, and I had HORRIBLE stage fright.  But, I got over it, and learned a lot.  Only problem was, I had landed a temporary position.  After a year, my hours ran out, and I was forced to look for different work.

Originally, my plan was to move around until I found the perfect dream job, then settle.  But I hadn't planned to fall in love.  Shortly after working at the zoo, I met my now-husband, and found out he never wanted to leave Washington.  Hmm.  I hated the Northwest.  But, love prevails, and here I am still.

So, anyway, after a year, I was left without a job at the zoo.  I couldn't go anywhere else and ask my then-boyfriend to choose between his family, a great job, and the home he loved, and me with my unpredictable future.  So I stayed, and thought, "what else can I do?"

Turns out, I could teach.  I started teaching private violin lessons, and it's really taken off from there.  That was a little over four years ago.  Since I started teaching, I rented a studio to teach out of, and am now working on moving my studio home.  My husband and I bought our house outside of Buckley (small town in western Washington), and I have chickens, ducks, and just got goats.  I also have a number of indoor birds, two fish tanks, and a horse that I board at a nearby stable.  Do I have too much going on?  Most likely.  But I'm loving every minute of it!!

Even though I don't need my MAED (no, I'll never teach in a school setting, and I'll be doing the exact same thing I am now), I really want it.  I'm loving learning so much about how to be a better teacher, and I feel like my students have already benefited.  I've already implemented a bunch of new teaching practices and ideas.  I should be finishing up my MAED at the end of the spring 2013 semester.  I'm really excited to be done and have more time to work on some of the ideas that have been spinning around my head, but I have had to warn my husband that I'll most likely want to go back for my doctorate someday.  Hopefully not for a while.