Patricia Erickson – Language Arts

I was born in Pennsylvania, but I lived there only two weeks. I traveled extensively in my childhood calling no particular state home. Before coming to Alaska, the state where I have resided the longest was Michigan. There I lived in what is called, “lower” Michigan, but moved to the Upper Peninsula, where I met my fabulous husband, Steve.

I graduated from Northern Michigan University with two master’s degrees: one in counseling and another in elementary education. In my undergraduate work I majored in English, and minored in speech and biology. I am qualified as a K-12 counselor and a K-12 special education teacher, with certification in the area of learning disabilities.

Over the past few years I have had the pleasure of working with both special and regular education students in a varied of ways at both the elementary and high school level. I have also worked with the deaf population of Galena, and maintain regular contact with the deaf as friends to whom I continue to offer service whenever possible.

My favorite activity, as almost anyone can tell you, is reading. I love to read! My tastes in literature run everywhere and include almost anything, but my most favorite literature is of the Far East, to be more specific – rural China. I’m always looking for good books, good stories, fiction, and nonfiction, old or new. Please, recommend something to me!

My family includes: a wonderfully talented husband (the “computer guy”) and two multi-talented and very pretty daughters (one my biological child and the other an extended family member) – both currently in college with one learning to be a chemist and the other a registered nurse. We have two dogs (a German Sheppard and a chubby little, long haired Chihuahua). Galena has been our hometown for the past sixteen years, and we spend our summers in the village. I rarely leave Galena and actually prefer it that way.