Anne René Elsbree, Ph.D. You can call me Anne René.

My parents wanted to make a difference in the world and were foster parents in Chicago. I had 4 foster siblings when I was 4 years old, a 17 year old sister, 8 year old brother, 4 year old sister and a 1 year old brother. In 1971, the 17 year old graduated high school and went off to college. And my parents drove the four of us in a VW Van to California so they could participate in Carl Rogers Institute in La Jolla. We moved here within the year and my brother Paul was adopted that year.

My parents were high school teachers in San Diego County Court & Community Schools I had no interest in being a teacher, until I took a position as a teaching assistant at Hillcrest Receiving Home & I fell in love with the challenge of engaging students.

1st full time position was teaching Math to adolescents at a Rancho San Diego Psychiatric Treatment Center 2nd position was K-1 at Harbor Elementary at Saint Vincent de Paul’s Shelter for Homeless Pursued a MA in special education to understand how to meet their needs Taught in Special Education Dept at Grossmont High School for 8 years

- As a lesbian, I fought for LGBTQ youth - Threatened by colleague to be outted - Decided to be out as a teacher - I went to grad school to learn how I to make schools safe - Make a difference by preparing teachers to make schools safe for all kids 5

Earned my doctorate at University of Wisconsin Madison Taught adolescents that were wards of the court.

Wife Kim Celebrated 20 years - Southeast Asia & Oceania Trip

Taught Teaching, Learning and Multicultural Education at Chico State University Came to CSUSM in 2003 because of the focus on social justice and equity

Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon, 2012 1. Steal like an artist. 2. Don't wait until you know who you are to start making things. Fake it until you make it. 3. Write the book/curriculum you want to read. Be the teacher adolescents need. 1. Steal like an artist: The author cautions that he does not mean ‘steal’ as in plagiarize, skim or rip off — but study, credit, remix, mash up and transform. Creative work builds on what came before, and thus nothing is completely original. 2. Don't wait until you know who you are to start making things: You have to start doing the work you want to be doing, you have to immerse, internalise and even dress like the person you aspire to be. “You don’t have to look like your heroes, you want to see like your heroes,” Kleon urges. Go beyond imitation to emulation. Fake it until you make it. 3. Write the book/curriculum you want to read: It is important to do what you want to do, and insert your take on things of art & teaching