Teaching Philosophy
When I entered the field of education, I knew I wanted to disrupt the flow of traditional teaching. As a student in grade school, most of my learning relied on memorizing facts, formulas, and routines. I only believed answers were correct because my teacher told me "this" and "that" were the right responses. Years of this pattern made what I thought was learning . . . boring. School was boring. It was not until high school that I encountered an instructor who made learning engaging, interesting, and exciting. I was challenged constantly to prove the accuracy of my work. I spent that year elaborating on my thought process, listing supporting detail/textual evidence, and arguing the validity of my responses with creative interpretations. Learning became fun, interactive, memorable, and most importantly, relevant.
Years later when I became an educator, I aspired to duplicate that same feeling I loved in my own classroom. Every year, I continually evolved my pedagogical approaches, teaching philosophies, and personal ideologies. I became a believer that learning takes on many forms-sometimes it's personalized, customized, and differentiated. And other times, learning is challenging, student-centered, and communicative, and reflective. In most cases, the focus in my class will extend beyond meeting grade-level expectations and scoring proficient on assessments. It will be my goal to help you exceed expectations and showcase mastery of the standards. Every time you walk into my classroom, you are beginning another training day. We are preparing for your future in college and/or your upcoming career. Come mentally dressed for success and ready to achieve.
Years later when I became an educator, I aspired to duplicate that same feeling I loved in my own classroom. Every year, I continually evolved my pedagogical approaches, teaching philosophies, and personal ideologies. I became a believer that learning takes on many forms-sometimes it's personalized, customized, and differentiated. And other times, learning is challenging, student-centered, and communicative, and reflective. In most cases, the focus in my class will extend beyond meeting grade-level expectations and scoring proficient on assessments. It will be my goal to help you exceed expectations and showcase mastery of the standards. Every time you walk into my classroom, you are beginning another training day. We are preparing for your future in college and/or your upcoming career. Come mentally dressed for success and ready to achieve.
Educational/Professional Background
I am a graduate from University of Florida (bachelor's), Georgia State University (post bachelor certifications and masters), and Kennesaw State University (masters and specialist). Currently, I am working on my doctorate at Kennesaw State University. (Yes, I have been in school longer than Harry Potter.) As a teenager, I never imagined I would go into the field of education. (My parents laughed when I told them I wanted to become a teacher.) However, in 2006, I accepted a teaching position at Henderson Middle School. That was the beginning of my employment with the DeKalb County School District.
My first year, I taught sixth grade Physical Science and English Language Arts on a Team 6E. The following school year, I moved up to seventh grade (Team 7E) and taught English Language Arts and social studies. In my third year, I taught English Language Arts on Team 7D. I remained in that position for the next eight years before I was moved to Team 8D for the 2018-2019 academic year. I am still teaching eighth grade English Language Arts on Team 8D and looking forward to creating more amazing memories this school year.
My first year, I taught sixth grade Physical Science and English Language Arts on a Team 6E. The following school year, I moved up to seventh grade (Team 7E) and taught English Language Arts and social studies. In my third year, I taught English Language Arts on Team 7D. I remained in that position for the next eight years before I was moved to Team 8D for the 2018-2019 academic year. I am still teaching eighth grade English Language Arts on Team 8D and looking forward to creating more amazing memories this school year.
Hobbies
I love to travel, collect sneakers, play/watch sports, and enjoy video games when I have a little free time. I'm adventurous and pretty active in my personal life . . . which sometimes carries over into my professional life as an educator. (Who doesn't love a great field trip?) As I said earlier, I like to make learning fun, which means I'm always trying to produce memorable learning experiences for my students. If you have a moment, check out the slide show below to see some of the escapades I have been on with my friends, family, and students.