What is your educational background? I got my undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina in
1991. I went on to get my masters in Reading from Loyola University in 2002. I’m a National Board Certified Teacher (since 2017), and a certified LETRS facilitator for our state (LETRS stands for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling).
What drew you to teaching elementary school? I’ve always wanted to make a difference and teach something important…
teaching 1st and 2nd grade allows me to work with children that are learning to read and write. They’re such sponges! I feel like 1st and 2nd grades are the most rewarding years in terms of seeing growth–especially in reading. What we do in these grades sets the
stage for success in the later grades.
What are some aspects of teaching you find difficult?What about aspects you find rewarding?
One of the hardest parts of teaching for me is the emotional piece… the worry you have for the children you teach after you watch something particularly horrifying on the news; the frustration when you can’t fix all the tough stuff a child has to deal with; and, the fear I sometimes have that what I did wasn’t enough. I’m always second guessing myself and asking if I did enough for the children I teach. But teaching is the most rewarding profession I can think of to be in. I can’t imagine what else I’d ever do with my life! I was in a training class where they asked us what profession we’d be in if we didn’t teach. I couldn’t for the life of me think of anything else that didn’t involve helping children or helping other teachers. Despite any fears, frustrations, or heartaches I have, knowing that I’ve made a difference and helped our children become lifelong learners is my biggest joy.The chance to guide them through their reading journey is my favorite
part. Seeing them go from struggling readers to children that love to read and can read fluently makes me so happy.
Was there a teacher you had in school that left a big impact on you?The two teachers that made the most impact on me growing up
showed me the kind of teacher I didn’t want to be and the typeof teacher I knew I wanted to be. One particular teacher always pointed
out what I was doing wrong, rarely complimented me and gave me just an overall feeling of failure. I knew I’d never be that teacher. My favorite teacher was my 2nd grade teacher. She told stories about her family to make us laugh, and she found a way to make each of us feel like we were her favorite. I don’t remember a lot of what I learned in 2nd grade, but I do remember feeling special and I loved coming to school. That’s what I strive for in my classroom… to create a family atmosphere where children are happy and safe and WANT to come to school every day.
When you’re not teaching, how do you spend your time?When I’m not teaching, I’m spending time with my husband (also a
teacher!) and two teenage children (both attend Queen Anne’s County (High School). I love to shop and get coffee on the weekends, or get my nails done to decompress. I love to read about reading, which sounds kind of nerdy, but it gives me joy. We attend church in Chestertown as much as we can on Sundays, and end our weekend with a family dinner… a tradition I hope continues as my children grow