Hello! My name is Ms. Maria, and I teach 2nd grade at Sherwood Elementary School in Highland Park. I grew up in Morton Grove and now live in the city. I earned my bachelor’s in Elementary Education with an ESL Endorsement and Special Education approval from North Park University. I’m pursuing my Masters of Arts in Education with Early Childhood and Middle School Social Science endorsements at North Park University. I love continuing my education to learn about new best practices and to be able to work with a wide range of students. Outside the classroom, I cook, try new restaurants, and hang out with friends and family.

Throughout high school, I thought I wanted to be a pharmacist. I completed my freshman year at Butler University in their pre-pharmacy program. I quickly realized that sitting in lecture halls learning about chemistry and biology the same way as fifty other students was not the way for me to learn. It was indeed a challenge. I quickly realized that my passion was working with kids, so I transferred to North Park University to be a teacher, where I thrived. I engaged in hands-on lessons, discussion groups, and project-based learning throughout my undergraduate studies.

My belief in the potential of every student is unwavering. I understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning. My experience has fueled my passion for finding the instructional practices that best suit each student. I am thrilled to bring this commitment to JAM Teaching and Consulting, where I will provide differentiated instruction that empowers every student to succeed.