Ms. Lehman loves teaching!

Ms. Lehman grew up in Akron, OH where she developed an appreciation for baseball that she tries to impress upon her students. Ms. Lehman moved to Portland, OR a few years ago. She was a little sad to leave sunny California, but she loves her new city! Ms. Lehman lives with her husband Seth- check out their fabulous wedding website. They love their two amazing dogs, Doby and Laila, who are also profiled on the web. Check out Ms. Lehman's blog and podcasts.

Ms. Lehman graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA where she studied Child Development and Urban Studies. She is also a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School. She completed her teaching credential through CalStateTEACH an innovative program that delivers curriculum through a self-study format. She earned her Masters degree from Walden University. It is an M.S. in Education with a specialization in Integrating Technology. John Cotton Dana said, "Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn." Ms. Lehman agrees! She loves to learn.

Her professional career has always been focused on children and youth. She ran a federal grant-funded after school program, provided long term child care as a nanny and worked as the Assistant Dean of Student at Idyllwild Arts Academy. She taught 6th grade English in the Gifted Magnet at Audubon Middle School in the Crenshaw area of Los Angeles. She taught middle school and high school English as well as an Art elective at Imagine Academy, a public charter school. She also developed curriculum for EECI, an international education consulting and publishing company. Ms. Lehman currently teaches 7th & 8th grade Social Studies at SEI Academy. SEI Academy is a charter middle school in North Portland that was started by Self Enhancement Incorporated (SEI).

Ms. Lehman is an avid fan of Apple Computers. She especially loves her iMac and iPod mini. She and her husband attended MacWorld 2006 and 2007 in San Francisco. Check out the photos! She has found numerous ways to integrate technology into her classroom to enhance standards-based lessons. She believes strongly that students must have frequent access to relevant technology to succeed in today's digital society. All students and their parents or guardians must sign the Acceptable Use Policy.

Due to the increasing focus on standardized testing in public education, students have fewer opportunities to explore the arts. Ms. Lehman makes a conscious effort to infuse the arts into her curriculum through daily lessons and long term projects. Ms. Lehman 's classes are designed to provide various opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding using multiple intelligences. Lessons and projects are structured to increase students' creative and critical thinking skills. Ms. Lehman's classroom is print-rich and student-centered. Everyday students are active learners by speaking, writing, reading, listening, and thinking about the material covered in the lessons.