Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Ten years ago, I was working in the Student Services department for a for-profit college. Many students were enrolled that were not prepared to go to college. They had graduated from high school, but still had not developed the skills and study habits to be successful including reading comprehension and simple essay writing. These students would end up withdrawing, and in the process owe a substantial amount of debt in student loans, without anything to show for it. It was during that time that I decided I wanted to become a teacher—to help ensure students had the foundational skills to become successful in their future academic and professional endeavors.
What is a goal of yours as a teacher?
I want to help students develop their innate motivations and curiosities that drive a lifetime love of learning. Students learn in different ways, and my goal is to differentiate my instruction to meet their specific needs, ensuring that each student is able to fulfill his or her full potential. Teaching students to set short-term and long-term goals [plays] a significant part in this process, and, of course, my class celebrates successes along the way!
What is your favorite book?
Fortune’s Magic Farm by Suzanne Selfors (for children)—it is not a [deep-seated] book that makes you think about the purpose of life, but the message is quite motivating. There is something special in each of us, and even through heartbreaking circumstances, this can be discovered in some of the most unusual, unexpected ways.
What is your favorite quote or saying?
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Brandon/Winthrop Teacher of the Month is sponsored by Kumon of Brandon
