Hi! I'm Ms. Toews (pronounced TAYves).

Education

I graduated from Atascadero High School with honors and later attended USC, graduating with honors with a dual degree in English Literature and French Language and Literature. I also hold a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate.  

I received my Secondary Teaching Credential from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Teaching History

Prior to beginning my work at Santa Maria High School, I taught English as a second language in Germany from 2002 - 2006, and in Turkey from 2006 - 2012. I love languages, and am fluent in French, German and Turkish. While I have not yet met my goal of speaking seven languages fluently, I'm hopeful that there's still time!

Life Story
Life has offered rich opportunities to connect with people from other cultures, languages and races, as well as to work in a variety of industries. As a child, my family lived in Saudi Arabia, where I spent four years at an international school making friends from all over the world. Later, while pursuing a French degree at USC, I completed a year of study in France, which was a transformative experience. Following graduation from USC, I went to work in the travel industry in Los Angeles, with a company that served an exclusively French market. It was wonderful to have a chance to put my French degree to very real use! Several years later, I migrated to San Francisco and began a stint in the tech industry, where I filled a number of roles at a start-up company, from secretary to accountant to graphic designer and website manager. But childhood and the French Experience had planted the seeds of internationalism, and there remained an unscratched itch which eventually grew too great to be ignored. After four years in the tech sector, I bought a one-way ticket to Germany with the aim of learning another major world language, and perhaps landing a teaching job. All of this came to pass, and after four years in Germany, I was well-versed in German and on the way to having an established teaching career.  In 2006, I moved with my partner to Izmir, Turkey, where I immersed myself in the Turkish language, culture, customs, and food (!!!)  -- and continued my teaching career at a private Turkish elementary school (fourth and fifth grade). Although the six years I spent in Turkey were magical, at some point I concluded it was time to head home. I bought yet another one-way ticket back to San Luis Obispo and enrolled in the Cal Poly teaching credential program. A year later, I had my provisional teaching credential and was hired on by the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District. And now, eight years later, I am still at SMHS, and continue to find my heart touched by the warmth and humor of my students.

When not teaching, grading or planning, I'm happiest on a hiking trail or curled up with a good book. Preferably both. Camping, anyone?