Biography Information
As Site Coordinator for the PTA program, I strongly believe in the positive impact the PTA can make to improve an individual’s functional abilities and am truly excited about the benefits our physical therapy profession can provide. The opportunity to foster these beliefs in students entering the profession is what drew me to BCC. I feel that as an instructor it is my responsibility to not only educate students on the skills necessary to be a successful clinician, but also my opportunity to inspire them about the profession. I believe that instruction in the field of PT must interweave clinical ‘real word’ experiences with academic foundations in order to facilitate learning for the student. Though I employ traditional lectures in my courses, I emphasize and value student critical thinking and exploration of the content through case studies and group activities to foster learning. Through specialized websites developed for my courses, I utilize online discussions and exploration of the vast internet resources to stimulate student analysis of clinically relevant applications of the academic content. I enjoy implementing different teaching strategies to maximize learning and infuse some ‘fun’ into the classroom.
Teaching Philosophy
Originally from Long Island, New York, I completed my degree in Physical Therapy at Ithaca College in 1992. Enthusiasm for all aspects of therapy led me to practice in a variety of clinical settings including orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics and wound management. Recognizing the critical role of the PTA in the delivery of patient care and desiring to contribute my knowledge to the profession, I became a clinical instructor. In 1996, the PTA program expanded to a distance learning curriculum with a site in Ft. Myers. This provided me the wonderful opportunity to begin teaching full time!