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US Teacher Biographies

A

Lisa Adeli
Teacher of World History and English
Buena High School, Sierra Vista, Arizona
TEA counterpart: Rafik Pluzyan, Armenia
Lisa Adeli has been teaching world history and English at Buena High School in Sierra Vista, Arizona, since 1995. She holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Arizona, Tucson; a master of arts in applied linguistics and a master of arts in history from the University of Indiana-Bloomington, and a bachelor of science in foreign service from Georgetown University. She completed her secondary teaching certification in 1995 and has also conducted graduate work in Belgrade, Serbia (then Yugoslavia). Prior to teaching high school, Ms. Adeli was a university lecturer in history, and she has participated in many fellowships and has received several teaching awards. She has a long-standing interest in the history of Western and Central Asia and hopes to gain more knowledge of these countries through this program, which she can use in her courses on world history.

Omer Alptekin
Teacher of Global History and Social Studies
Arlington High School, LaGrangeville, New York
TEA Counterpart: Abdul Miah, Bangladesh
Omer Alptekin teaches global history, geography, economics, and advanced placement comparative government at Arlington High School in LaGrangeville, NY, where he has taught since 1993. Prior to that, he worked as a consultant for the New York State Education Department and the College Board. He received a master of arts in political science from Fordham University, a bachelor of arts in political science from Vassar College, and has conducted studies in both Israel and Turkey. Mr. Alptekin has also received several fellowships and awards for teaching. He hopes to use the opportunity afforded by the TEA program to build bridges between his school and a school abroad to gain more knowledge of the world and help his students become global citizens.

Gohar Atamian
English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher
New York City Department of Education, New York, New York
TEA Counterpart: Mohammed Anwar Hossain, Bangladesh
Originally from Armenia, Gohar Atamian is an ESL teacher with the New York City Department of Education, where she not only teaches English as a second language to students with developmental disabilities, but also works as a school literacy coach and a bilingual staff developer. She has also been a substitute teacher in the public school system in Fort Lee, New Jersey and was the assistant principal and teacher of history and geography at Secondary School #54 in Yerevan, Armenia. Ms. Atamian received a master of arts degree in TESOL from Adelphi University, a diploma as a teacher of English from Yerevan State Pedagogical University of Russian and Foreign Languages, and an associate’s degree in philosophy from Yerevan University of Political Science. She plans to develop online collaborative projects between her students and the students in the country she visits through the TEA program to help educators and students in both countries share experiences and learn about social issues that impact students.

B

Stephanie Bode
Seventh Grade Global Studies Teacher
Brownsburg East Middle School, Brownsburg, Indiana
TEA Counterpart: Meghmala Dutta, India
Stephanie Bode currently teaches seventh grade global studies at Brownsburg East Middle School and Brownsburg West Middle School in Brownsburg, Indiana. She also serves on the North Central Accreditation Committee for building and district and on the BEMS Reading Strategies Committee, and was instrumental in establishing a Chinese language program at her school. Previously, she taught geography, economics and government at Avon High School in Avon, Indiana and chaired the Avon High School North Central Accreditation School Improvement Team. She received a master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree with distinction in history and a minor in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. Ms. Bode has also been the recipient of several honors and awards. She looks forward to sharing the knowledge she gains in visiting India with her colleagues and students and to fostering connections that will enhance mutual learning and understanding.

Nicolle Boujaber-Diederichs
Global Studies and World History Teacher, Service Learning Trainer
Cypress Creek High School, Orlando, Florida
TEA Counterpart: Farida Huseynova, Azerbaijan
Nicolle Boujaber-Diederichs is a teacher of global studies and world history as well as a service learning trainer at Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida. She also lectures part-time in international politics and U.S. government at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. She currently is working toward a Ph.D. in public and urban policy at the New School for Social Research and holds a master of international affairs from Columbia University as well as a bachelor of international studies from the School for International Training. She also studied education reform for a year on a Fulbright Scholarship in Namibia. Ms. Boujaber-Diederichs plans to use the opportunity provided by the TEA program to discuss issues of student-centered learning, experiential-based learning, and civic engagement with her international colleagues.

Laura Biber
English as a Second Language (ESL) Instructor
Lyndhurst Board of Education, Lyndhurst, New Jersey
TEA Counterpart: Anjela Nazarova, Turkmenistan
Laura Biber has been an ESL teacher for the Lyndhurst Board of Education in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, since 2003. Prior to that, she taught ESL in several locations in Texas and New Jersey, and she has also taught English as a Foreign Language in Rabat, Morocco, and Surrey, England. She holds a master of education in foreign language education from Rutgers University, a bachelor of arts in English from Drew University, and expects to receive a master of education in curriculum and instruction from Montclair State University in 2008. Ms. Biber looks forward to gaining more perspective on the world from her participation in the TEA program that can help her identify better with the students in her classroom and in establishing ongoing collaborative projects with students overseas.

Jacqueline Brown-Williams
Social Studies Instructor
Greenville Technical Charter High School, Greenville, South Carolina
TEA Counterpart: Oxana Bashlykova, Kazakhstan
Jacqueline Brown-Williams teaches world history, psychology and sociology at Greenville Technical Charter High School in Greenville, SC, where she also sponsors the Youth in Government and Model United Nations programs. Previously, she taught theatre arts at all grade levels for the Greenville County School; District 7 in Spartanburg, SC. She received a master of education in guidance and counseling from Antioch-New England Graduate School, a master’s degree in humanities and education from Converse College, and a bachelor of arts in speech and drama from Eastern Kentucky University. Ms. Brown-Williams hopes to use the experience she gains through the TEA program to enrich the knowledge of global history, arts and culture of her students and encourage respect for other ideas and cultures in the classroom.

C

James Choquette
Social Studies Teacher
Londonderry High School, Londonderry, New Hampshire
TEA Counterpart: Oleksandr Iakymenko, Ukraine
James Choquette teaches advanced placement European history and economics at Londonderry High School in Londonderry, NH. Previously, he taught social studies at two other middle and high schools in New Hampshire, and spent a year teaching classes in the politics and history departments at Queen Elizabeth Boy’s School in the United Kingdom as a Fulbright Exchange Scholar. He received a master of education in curriculum and instruction from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and a bachelor of arts in international relations from the American University in Washington, DC. Mr. Choquette looks forward to sharing ideas and teaching styles with teachers from overseas and in using modern technology to facilitate cross-cultural learning.

Maile Chow
English, Media Studies Teacher
Mid-Pacific Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii
TEA Counterpart: Shorena Marekvelidze, Georgia
Maile Chow is a teacher of English and media studies at Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, HI. She also teaches English literature, language, and writing at the University of Phoenix, and has previously worked as a reporter in the Washington, D.C. office for The Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, and several other publications. She holds a master of arts in newspaper journalism from Syracuse University and a bachelor of arts and science in English and socio-cultural anthropology from Brigham Young University. Ms. Chow has also participated in several professional trainings and workshops, including a Fulbright-Hays seminar abroad in Malaysia and Singapore. In particular, she looks forward to using the cross-cultural connection fostered by the TEA program to examine the media in both the United States and abroad and enhance the global literacy of her students.

Nina Ciatto
Special Education Teacher
Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies, Brooklyn, New York
TEA Counterpart: Sevinj Afandi, Azerbaijan
Nina Ciatto is a special education teacher for grades 6-7 at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies in Brooklyn, NY, where she mentors two special education teachers along with engaging in curriculum development and school improvement projects. Prior to that, she taught grade 5 special education as well as art. She holds a master of science in special education from Touro College, an M.A. in art therapy from New York University, and a bachelor of arts in liberal arts from Hofstra University. She also has used her skills for art therapy and rehabilitation at community-related organizations. Ms. Ciatto looks forward to participating in the TEA program and gaining a better understanding of best practices and of the role education plays in the global community.

Julie Costello
Social Studies and Language Arts Teacher
Eielson Middle School, Fargo, North Dakota
TEA Counterpart: Madhvi Shroff, India
Julie Costello teaches sixth grade social studies and language arts at Eielson Middle School in Fargo, ND, where she also mentors two teachers and sits on several district social studies and technology committees. Past professional activities include an international reforestation project linking her students to students in Mindinao, Philippines, and helping to develop curriculum enabling minority students to be more successful in school; she has also won several Teacher of the Year awards. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Concordia College and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from St. Thomas University. Ms. Costello hopes participation in the TEA program will aid her in her quest to break down barriers between cultures. She will conduct workshops on understanding by design, cooperative learning, and effective teaching strategies.

D

John Day
Social Studies Teacher
Yellow Springs High School, Yellow Springs, Ohio
TEA Counterpart: Siumkan Dzhumaeva, Kyrgyzstan
John Day teaches world history, United States history, psychology/sociology, contemporary issues, and several other social science courses at Yellow Springs High School in Yellow Springs, OH, where he has taught since 1993. Previously, he taught eighth grade students in Washington, DC, and was a Mombusho English Fellow in Sapporo, Japan, for one year. He earned a master of education degree from the University of Dayton and a bachelor of arts degree in religion from Williams College. Mr. Day plans to use his opportunity under the TEA program to create a direct link to a school in Kyrgyzstan and to help his students learn about other cultures and understand global attitudes toward the United States.

Lorraine Dumerer
Social Studies Teacher and District Lead for Advanced Placement Social Studies
R.L. Turner High School, Carrollton, Texas
TEA Counterpart: Nata Kevkhishvili, Georgia
Lorraine Dumerer is a social studies teacher at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton, TX, where she teaches U.S. government and economics to twelfth grade students and oversees the Model United Nations, Mock Trial, and Citizen Bee activities at her school. She has won several awards for teaching and is a member of several professional education organizations. She received her bachelor of arts and master of arts degrees at the University of Illinois in social studies teaching and has done postgraduate work at several universities in Texas. Ms. Dumerer would like to explore the role of teachers in the classroom and the community in other countries and examine how they teach complex social studies material.

F

Timothy Flanagan
Teacher of Language Arts, Science and Social Studies
Pawcatuck Middle School, Pawcatuck, Connecticut
TEA Counterpart: Umut Kakeeva, Kyrgyzstan
Timothy Flanagan teaches sixth grade language arts, science, and social studies, and also serves as team leader, at Pawcatuck Middle School in Pawcatuck, CT. Previously he has taught English, math, science and social studies in Porto Alegre, Brazil and Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He completed his master of education at Framingham State College and a bachelor of science in intermediate education at Southern Connecticut State University. Mr. Flanagan plans to use his TEA experience to help him impart on his students an open-minded understanding of the world and the interdependence of cultures across continents.

Maureen Freeman
English and Journalism Teacher
Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, Maryland
TEA Counterpart: Olena Svyrydenko, Ukraine
Maureen Flanagan teaches English and journalism at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, MD, where she is also the advisor for the school’s student-run print and online newspapers. She also manages adult education classes at Montgomery College, and has worked in the past as a reporter and photographer. She received her bachelor of arts in English at the College of the Holy Cross and has completed several graduate credits in education, English, and journalism. Ms. Freeman looks forward to sharing her experience teaching writing and journalism with TEA teachers and learning more about media issues in Eurasia.

G

Jennifer Glick
History Teacher
Roma High School, Roma, Texas
TEA Counterpart: Klara Iglikova, Kazakhstan
Jennifer Glick teaches world history and advanced placement world history to tenth grade students at Roma High School in Roma, TX. She also teaches ESL and bilingual courses in social sciences and humanities at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Zacatecas across the border in Mexico. She earned double bachelor’s degrees in geography with a minor in international studies and in German language and literature at the University of Washington, and she also studied for one year at the University of Vienna. Ms. Glick looks forward to increasing her knowledge of Eurasian cultures and training teachers in interactive history and English learning as well as how to use of graphic information systems (GIS) as a teaching aid.

H

Christopher Hall
Social Studies Teacher
Woods Cross High School, Woods Cross, Utah
TEA Counterpart: Adalat Musayeva, Azerbaijan
Christopher Hall has taught at Woods Cross High School in Woods Cross, UT, since 1994 and currently teaches advanced placement human geography, art history, and world history. He was also recently appointed as a committee member of the Test Development Committee for AP Human Geography, which is a part of the College Board and Educational Testing Service. He possesses a bachelor of science in geography and a bachelor of arts in geography teaching from Weber State College and has conducted graduate studies in geography at Syracuse University. Mr. Hall looks forward to gaining firsthand insight into the region through the TEA program that he will be able to share with his students, and to conducting workshops on social studies teaching and becoming a master teacher.

Janet Hall
ESL and Social Studies Teacher
Bethany Public Schools, Bethany, Oklahoma
TEA Counterpart: Sukanya Chakraborty, India
Janet Hall has taught middle- and high-school level world history, world geography, ESL, English, civics, U.S. history, and beginning Spanish in Bethany public schools in Bethany, OK since 1993. In addition, she is the social studies chairperson on the Vertical Committee, which ensures a vertical curriculum alignment for social studies in grades 6-8 and works to align it with curricula in the elementary and high schools. She obtained her bachelor of arts in social and behavioral sciences at Southern Nazarene University, her master of arts in international affairs from the University of Central Oklahoma, and her master of education in ESL/bilingual education, also from the University of Central Oklahoma. Ms. Hall has previously served as a mentor for teachers and looks forward to developing further her mentoring skills through the TEA program and helping to strengthen education in other countries.

Mark High
Social Studies and Literacy Teacher
Gunnison Middle School, Gunnison, Colorado
TEA Counterpart: Iryna Hardzeyevska, Ukraine
Mark High teaches seventh grade social studies and a reading workshop for students in grades 6-8 at Gunnison Middle School in Gunnison, CO. He also lectures on methods in secondary social studies teaching at Western State College in Gunnison, CO, has mentored several student teachers in the past, and he has won several teaching awards. He received a bachelor of arts in history and his teaching certificate from Colorado State University, a master of arts in secondary reading from the University of Northern Colorado, and is ABD in reading education from the University of Northern Colorado. Mr. High hopes to use his extensive experience collaborating with fellow teachers to help train teachers in the TEA program in setting learning targets, measuring student growth, remediation, and working with teams.

J

Mary Johnston
Social Studies Teacher and Department Chair
Wauwatosa West High School, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
TEA Counterpart: Tadzhidin Khaitov, Tajikistan
Mary Johnston teaches world history and sociology for grades ten through twelve at Wauwatosa High School in Wauwatosa, WI, where she has also assisted with course development, mentored student teachers, and created a Model United Nations Club and a simulation on patterns of global interaction. She also taught English, science and social studies as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Papua New Guinea and was a community development worker with the Peace Corps in Kenya. She earned a bachelor of arts in history from Carleton College, a secondary teaching certificate in social studies from Alverno College, and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in ESL from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She would like to use the knowledge she gains about Eurasia as a part of the TEA program to enhance her social studies curriculum, and in return she will share techniques on incorporating critical thinking and multiple intelligences into lesson planning.

K

Elizabeth Kenny
Teacher Librarian and Literacy Facilitator
Career Education Center Middle College of Denver High School, Denver, Colorado
TEA Counterpart: Oksana Havryliuk, Ukraine
Elizabeth Kenny is a teacher librarian and literacy facilitator at Career Education Center Middle College of Denver High School in Denver, CO, where her lessons emphasize media literacy, reading strategies, expository writing, and workplace readiness. She has taught English and reading to middle school students, and she won the Denver Teachers’ Award for 2007. She received a bachelor of arts in journalism with a minor in English from Eastern Illinois University, a master of arts in curriculum and instruction with emphasis on language acquisition from the University of Colorado at Denver, and has an English credential and a media specialist endorsement as well. Ms. Kenny plans to share her experience working on projects designed to modernize teaching methods by establishing connections between classrooms in different countries and focusing on multi-disciplinary issues such as Women’s History Month or the experiences of minimum-wage workers in the U.S.

James Kessler
History Teacher
The Potomac School, McLean, Virginia
TEA Counterpart: Gulbahar Shaliyeva, Turkmenistan
James Kessler teaches courses on global studies and the modern Middle East at the Potomac School in McLean, VA, where he also participates in curriculum design and development and serves as advisor to 5 ninth grade students as well as the school Arabic Club. Previously, he taught history at two schools in the Midwest and also taught English as a second language at a training center in Istanbul, Turkey. He obtained a bachelor of arts from Cornell University in Near Eastern studies, where he also studied for a year in Cairo, Egypt, and received a master of arts in Middle Eastern and Islamic history from the University of Chicago. Through the TEA program Mr. Kessler looks forward to adding to his extensive travel experience and sharing his knowledge and experience in collaborative curriculum design with teachers in another country.

L

Natalie Lau-Chien
Sheltered English Immersion Teacher
Comprehensive Grammar School, Methuen, Massachusetts
TEA Counterpart: Sanihur Rumi, Bangladesh
Natalie Lau-Chief teaches seventh and eighth grade students in the sheltered English immersion program for English language learners at Comprehensive Grammar School in Methuen, MA. Previously, she has also taught social studies and language arts at various schools in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and she is a member of several multicultural-education and Asian-American education associations. She earned her bachelor of arts in race and ethnic studies from Mount Holyoke College and her master of education from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Ms. Lau-Chien hopes to expand her knowledge of teaching methods from multicultural settings and extend her knowledge of teaching English and culture to a diverse group of students.

M

Patricia MacKinnon
ESL/English Teacher
Lewiston High School, Lewiston, Maine
TEA Counterpart: Gulnaz Zhukenova, Kazakhstan
Patricia MacKinnon currently teaches ELL and core English classes to primarily Somali refugee students at Lewiston High School in Lewiston, Maine. She also has experience in curriculum development, teacher training, and she spent one year helping to develop an English village in Korea, where students could learn English in short-term, intensive programs. She obtained a bachelor of science in business administration at Northeastern University and a master’s degree in English, concentrating in TEFL, at San Francisco State University, and she is a member of several professional English-teaching and education associations. Ms. MacKinnon plans to conduct training workshops on teaching language and cultural awareness through American film and on teaching English through content areas such as science and health.

Anne Madden
Teacher Specialist in English Language Learning
High Desert Middle School, Bend, Oregon
TEA Counterpart: Susanna Hakobyan, Armenia
Anne Madden currently teaches sixth through eighth grade English language learners at High Desert Middle School in Bend, OR. She has taught English, language arts, history, and gifted & talented at several schools in Oregon, and at one point taught English for two years in Portugal. She holds a diplome generale from Alliance Francaise in Paris, a bachelor of arts in French and English literature and a master’s degree in education, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia. In addition, she has received several grants and teaching awards and has participated in several training programs. Ms. Madden looks forward to using the TEA experience to give back to her profession and share some of the expertise she has acquired over her teaching career, and to build her own skills as a trainer and a cultural ambassador.

N

David Nurenberg
English Teacher
Concord-Carlisle Regional High School, Concord, Massachusetts
TEA Counterpart: Rita Titova, Turkmenistan
David Nurenberg is an English teacher at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School in Concord, MA, where he has taught since 2000. He also advises the student newspaper and science fiction club, participates in the Japanese Sister School Program, and he received a grant in 2004 to design the course “Images of War in Literature and the Media.” He earned a bachelor of arts in English and American literature with a minor in education from Brandeis University, a master of arts in English and American literature from Tufts University, and is currently a PhD candidate in educational studies at Lesley University. Mr. Nurenberg seeks through the TEA program additional ways to bring knowledge of the world to his students at school and to share his knowledge of technology, differentiated instruction, and using effective conflict management techniques in schools with teachers in another country.

R

Richard Rosivach
Curriculum Resource Teacher, Social Studies
Irondale High School, New Brighton, Minnesota
TEA Counterpart: Mushamat Badrun Nesha, Bangladesh
Richard Rosivach teaches regular and advanced placement history courses, including European history, American government and politics, and U.S. history, at Irondale High School in New Brighton, MN. During his teaching career there he has also coached the rugby team, advised student clubs, and participated in a leadership development committee. In 2002, he taught in a short-term training program for students on global issues in Olomouc, Czech Republic, and coordinated a study-abroad program for American students in Madrid in the summer of 2000. He received a master of arts in curriculum and instruction from the University of Colorado at Denver and a bachelor of arts in U.S./urban history from Columbia University. Mr. Rosivach looks forward to learning more about Eurasia and South Asia and incorporating that information into his classes, and he plans to conduct workshops for the TEA program on examining local issues as global problems and evaluating the role of authority in each.

S

Cynthia Sharpless
ESL Resource Teacher
South Baldwin Center for Technology, Robertsdale, Alabama
TEA Counterpart: Pulak Roy, Bangladesh
Cynthia Sharpless is an ESL resource teacher for students in kindergarten through twelfth grades for the Baldwin County Board of Education in Alabama. She has also taught students in first through eighth grades and worked with at-risk middle school students, and she has worked with students on short-term programs in Israel and Russia. She received an associates of science and associates of arts from Enterprise State Junior College, a bachelor of science in elementary education from the University of South Alabama, and a master of arts in the teaching of languages from the University of Southern Mississippi. She will present workshops on ESL strategies, parental involvement in learning, and discovering cultural differences for teachers connected with the TEA program.

Concetta Smith
Social Studies and ELA Teacher
Lisha Kill Middle School, Albany, New York
TEA Counterpart: Marina Terterovi, Georgia
Concetta Smith is a fifth grade teacher of social studies and English language arts at Lisha Kill Middle School in Albany, NY, where she has taught since 1995. She has also taught English to students in Poland and Paraguay, and has won scholarships to participate in summer teaching programs in Korea and Japan. She earned a bachelor of arts in education and psychology from Iona College and a master of arts in social studies from the University at Albany, State University of New York. Ms. Smith hopes to gather information, art, and artifacts during the TEA program that she can use to teach her students about foreign cultures; she also looks forward to conducting workshops on reading and writing across the curriculum and on effective classroom management strategies.

Patricia Stephens
ELL Instructor/Department Head
Kuna Middle School, Kuna, Idaho
TEA Counterpart: Gulgaky Osmonkulova, Kyrgyzstan
Patricia Stephens teaches language arts and ELL content area classes to sixth through eighth grade students at Kuna Middle School in Kuna, ID. She has also taught writing, reading, history, literature and government classes at local universities in Idaho, and she spent one year teaching English in Honduras. Ms. Stephens obtained a bachelor of arts in English secondary education from Boise State University and a master of education in curriculum and instruction, also from Boise State University. She looks forward to presenting workshops on using music as a teaching instrument in the classroom and on using photography to generate student writing.

T

Thomas Talarico
ESL Teacher
Portland High School, Portland, Maine
TEA Counterpart: Khayrullo Makhsumov, Tajikistan
Thomas Talarico currently teaches English as a second language in the English department at Portland High School in Portland, ME. He has fifteen years’ experience in teaching English to speakers of other languages; in addition, he has spent one summer teaching English to middle school students in Japan, and he has served as an agroforestry extentionist in the Phillippines with the U.S. Peace Corps. He holds a bachelor of science in environmental studies from the University of Maine at Fort Kent and a master of science in education with concentrations in literacy and ESOL from the University of Southern Maine. Mr. Talarico looks forward to gaining additional multicultural experience through the TEA program that will aid his ability to serve as a model for his school and community.

W

Jamison Warren
Lead World Geography Teacher and Asian Studies Teacher
S.F. Austin High School, Austin, Texas
TEA Counterpart: Nazira Valieva, Tajikistan
Jamison Warren is the lead world geography teacher at Stephen F. Austin High School in Austin, TX, where he also teaches an upper-level Asian Studies course. He has taught ESOL and writing in the past, as well as mountaineering and naturalist classes for high school students. He received his bachelor of arts in comparative area studies for South Asia from Duke University and his master of education in educational leadership from Colorado State University, and he studied for a semester and summer in India. He plans to conduct workshops on promoting cross-cultural experience and on using a multidisciplinary approach to teaching students about global warming.

Dara Weller
Teacher and Director of the Gifted and Talented Program
St. Stephens Indian School, St. Stephens, Wyoming
TEA Counterpart: Kalyani Gokhale, India
Dara Weller is the director of the Gifted and Talented Program at St. Stephens Indian School in St. Stephens, WY, where she designs and implements the program for students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. She is also an external evaluator and grant writer for the Wind River Indian Reservation, where she provides technical assistance and training coordination for School-to-Careers, Title IV Safe and Drug Free Schools and Indian Vocational Education. She holds a bachelor of arts in English literature from Boston State College, an A.L.M. in English and American literature from the Harvard University Extension School, and an M.A.T. in English from Simmons College. Ms. Weller would like to set up a virtual exchange between her students and a school abroad and looks forward to using gaining experience with the TEA program to help her be a model of investigative learning in her classroom.

Cynthia Wilondek
Social Studies Teacher
Peak to Peak Charter School, Lafayette, Colorado
TEA Counterpart: Sara Ekmekchyan, Armenia
Cynthia Wilondek currently teaches American history at the Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette, CO, and is also a visiting professor in American studies for the Montana Gear-Up Program. She taught U.S. history and ESL in Surrey, England for two years, and also taught ESL and American culture for two years in two schools in Japan. She received a bachelor of arts in history and political science education, with minors in sociology/anthropology, performance theatre, and honors, from Rocky Mountain State College and a master of arts of teaching in history/social studies from Brown University. Ms. Wilondek plans to conduct workshops for the TEA program on using popular culture to teach social studies and world languages and on creating an active, inquiry-based classroom.

Judy Wycoff
English Language Arts Teacher
Allen Park Public Schools, Allen Park, Michigan
TEA Counterpart: Iryna Nikolayenko, Ukraine
Judy Wycoff is an English language arts teacher at Allen Park High School and Allen Park Middle School in Allen Park, MI, where she has taught English and writing to students in sixth through twelfth grades. She also advises student clubs and received the Outstanding Teacher Award from Eastern Michigan University in 2006, and she has additional experience teaching English to adults and working at an alternative school for troubled youth. She holds a bachelor of arts in secondary education from Western Michigan University and a master of arts in special education from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Ms. Wycoff is excited to pursue her passion for learning about other cultures through the TEA program and will be sharing her knowledge of best practices in English teaching, writing, and designing strategies to help disadvantaged students in the classroom.

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