As a full-time writing coach for Wawasee School District in northern Indiana, Ruth spends her days helping students find meaning in their stories, and encouraging teachers to reflect and refine the art of teaching. "I love documenting ordinary stories from everyday life," Ruth says.
Ruth earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Indiana University. She has taught seventh-grade language arts in Wawasee Middle School for four years, and currently she is the district's writing coach.
Ruth says that she wanted to become a teacher because she wanted to have a positive impact on the lives of middle schoolers. "I like helping students see the power of their everyday stories and to learn how their words can make the world a better place. I consider myself among the most fortunate because I spend my days with children and adolescents, teaching them how to make sense of the world through reading and to impact the world with their voice through writing."
In her free time Ruth likes to read, write, take photos, walk, and cook. In reality, though, most of her free time is spent with her husband, Andy, and their three children.
The Unofficial List
The Unofficial List
- My husband is my biggest fan. My parents pull in a close second.
- I have four great kids. They are imperfectly perfect and make me laugh every single minute of the day (almost).
- My One Little Word for this year is shine.
- I'm always trying to drink more water.
- I write to figure out things. Day by Day was about figuring out how to help teachers continue to lift the level of their practices, even with cuts in education threatening professional development. I like writing YA to figure out things about people and emotions.
- I like to walk and stretch and stretch and walk, but not necessarily at the same time.
