Teaching Experience

Teaching is about helping other others master new information and develop the skills necessary to be life-long learners.

Over the past ten years, Dena has been committed to helping students in the Bay Area achieve academic success. As a public school teacher in San Mateo County, Dena brought enthusiasm and commitment to each of her classrooms and as a private tutor, she has focused her efforts on helping each child become a life-long learner. Her passion for making a difference in children's lives has lead her to volunteer with Healthy Cities Tutoring, a free tutorial program offering vital support to underperforming students within the San Carlos School District. Dena also is a volunteer reader with the San Carlos Library's storytime program, introducing young children to the magic of literature. Dena is the organizer behind Make a Difference in San Carlos, an online forum for children, teens and families to learn about and get involved in hands-on volunteer opportunities serving the San Carlos Community.

Dena holds a California Single Subject Teaching Credential with CLAD certification from SJSU and a bachelors degree from UCLA. Learning how to best reach students is a perpetual process. Dena has participated in BTSA, The Bay Area Writing Project, and numerous continuing education classes via the University of San Diego, University of Phoenix, and Walden University to continually grow and develop her skills as an educator. 

Check out the San Carlos Parks and Recreation Guide for Fall 2010, as Dena will be offering a course to students in 5th-8th grades called TeenCycle, giving tweens and teens a creative outlet using recycled materials.