Teaching has provided me an opportunity for continual learning and growth. As an educator, I attempt each day to broaden and deepen my understanding of education and embrace every opportunity to be the best educator that I can be. I have been teaching for sixteen years. My teaching experience has been in kindergarten, first, second,third, and fifth grades. In these grades, I have taught across the curriculum, teaching the subject areas of math, reading, social studies, health, and science.      

Currently, I am a third grade teacher at Morris Brandon Elementary in Atlanta, Georgia. I have 20 unique and wonderful students who are eager to learn everyday! My classroom is an inviting, equitable, print-rich environment where students are given the opportunity to grow academically and socially.

As a teacher, I incorporate themes, IB units, projects, group work, individual work, computer activities and hands on learning in order to make children active learners. I instill a love of learning in my students, as I share my own passion for learning with them. Each day, I engage my children in meaningful, purposeful, and functional activities. Under my direction, students are not passive learners. They are active participants engaging in meaningful experiences. As children progress in my class, I hope they will bring greater skill and understanding to each experience. Therefore, my goal is to provide activities that will develop the abilities of the students I teach.

    I am interested in exploring a variety of teaching strategies and learning styles and how they meet the individual needs of students. Every child has his or her own unique way of learning and it is important for a teacher to accommodate each student in the way that he or she learns.

 Providing activities to meet the individual learning styles of students is very crucial to a student’s success in the classroom. Teaching affords me the opportunity to allow all students to feel successful.

     My professional development experience includes attending several staff development courses and workshops geared toward promoting academic success in the classroom. In addition, I have served on the Curriculum committee at my school. I received my Master’s degree in Instructional/Adult Education, a Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Doctorate in Instructional Leadership. During my study in Instructional Leadership, I conducted research and classroom case studies. That opportunity prepared me for future professional development. The experience is one that I will take with me as I venture down new avenues in my professional career.