Welcome to Ms. Huskins's Web Site
Hermon Middle School
Literacy; Grade 8
Ms. Huskins
My Biography . . .
I am delighted to be returning to Hermon Middle School for a fifth year and excited to return to teaching Eighth Grade Literacy. The highlights for me will working with some of the same students I worked with my second year at HMS and serving as a mentor to a UMO Education Candidate in the fall.
Teaching Experience:
I've been teaching since the fall of 1987, with experience in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8. The majority of my experience has been teaching intermediate grades.
Memories as a Student:
I feel fortunate to have enjoyed many terrific school experiences as a child. Being raised in a military family, brought frequent school changes. As a result, I learned quickly to be flexible and adapt to different cultures, climates, and curricula. I attended school in Hawaii, Wyoming, Virginia, and Illinois. My fifth & sixth grade teachers were sisters; California girls, and I wanted to be just like them one day! They created risk-free classroom climates with diverse activities to appeal to the interests and abilities of all students. I could tell that they loved kids and enjoyed teaching. This was LONG before the words, "No child left behind", "differentiation", and "learning styles" were coined. Mrs. Devine (6th grade) would play
guitar on Friday afternoons and we'd sing a long, a favorite memory of mine, and the inspiration for my guitar playing.
I have three mentors:
~ my mother, a career educator, homemaker, and two-time cancer survivor
~ my Jr. High class sponsor, Mrs. Haynes-Oberdick
~ my Cooperating Teacher, Mrs. Mary McHugh, a two-time "Teacher of the Year" in the state of Illinois
Because of the genuine interest they took in me as a person and in my learning, I chose to continue both my love for learning and to share my passion for learning as a professional educator.
Life-long Learning & Plans for the Future:
I have continued my experience as a learner throughout my career and have hundreds of hours of post-graduate course work, in-service training, workshop presentations, and conference attendance. I am amidst a masters Degree program for Educational Leadership with a focus on Gifted Learners. I am nearing certification endorsement in both Secondary Social Studies and Secondary English/Language Arts.
As a Language Arts expert, I anticipate multiple opportunites to collaborate with my team mates to integrate their disciplines with Language Arts. Somewhere down the road I would like to transition from the classroom with young children to the classroom of future Educators. I've been blessed with the opportunity to mentor five Student Teaching candidates and would enjoy teaching in the University setting; perhaps coaching the Student Teaching programs.
My interests:
I love Track! I participated in Cross Country in High School, and may be spotted at summer Youth Track, fall Middle School Cross Country, and both Indoor and Outdoor Track events for Hermon High School . My secret ambition is a middle school track team here at Hermon someday.
I am a faithful professional baseball fan with a life-long allegiance to the St. Louis Cardinals! A treasured memory for me was attending the ceremony to honor Cal Ripken Jr.'s accomplishments as a Baltimore Oriole in Camden Yard and attending the 1993 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field (in the pouring rain). Now that I live in Maine, the Bo-Sox are growing on me and I look forward to attending a game at Fenway Park.
The Washington Redskins are the NFL team I cheer most for, although I am often seen celebrating the successes of the Denver Broncos as well. I'm learning to enjoy NE Patriot ball, and just might end up becoming a fan.
Basketball at the college-level appeals to me. As a graduate of Southern Illinois University, I cheer for the often seeded Salukis, and my local UMaine Black Bears.
UMaine Hockey is an activity that caught me by surprise. Shortly after my relocation to Maine, I received tickets from a friend, and now beg for extras on a regular basis. What a great live sport to watch!
Butterfly & Freestyle were the competitive strokes I swam while in High School, which I still enjoy. The recent spiral fracture of my left fibula (ear the ankle) and subsequent surgery limit my participation, but I'm on the mend! I enjoy attending meets for students, both for in-school extracurricular activities and those sponsored outside school.
At home I walk & play with my dogs, listen to music, exercise, read, write, volunteer, and enjoy spending time with friends. The family camp on Webb Pond in Eastbrook is an ideal get-away. Kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boating, fishing, swimming, and playing many, many rounds of "Hand-And-Foot" pass the relaxing time spent there.
Goals for the school year:
This year I am serving as a mentor to a future teacher. This UMO Education student will begin her field observations here at HMS this fall. I will continue my photography for several local High School yearbook staffs during indoor and outdoor track seasons. The transition to trimesters, and implementation of the Formative/Summative assessment practice are my central foci, along with our annual adiministration of the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) in October. I'm still hopeful for those golf lessons at some point!
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