As William Butler Yeats wrote, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." I want students to achieve at levels that surprise them. When teaching my students, I strive to be responsive to their needs, to treat them with dignity, and to model desirable behavior and social skills with efficacy. My approach to teaching my students is to understand their respective needs, and to address them in a manner that is both methodical and engaging. 

             My journey to becoming a special education teacher has been one full of challenges, and my perseverance in becoming a teacher of special education students is a tribute to my love of teaching. Graduating from Wayne County High School in 1996 I enlisted in the military. During my four years of active duty I was medically discharged. I decided to attend Jones County Junior College and study business. After one year of enrollment I transferred to at Alcorn State University to complete my degree.

             Upon completion of my degree in Business Administration I found a career in banking in my hometown. After five years of service the job and company was unfulfilling to me. Following my second passion I went into education. My first year of teaching was in Meridian Public School District at the alternative school. After that year I moved to Jackson, Mississippi to work. There I worked on every level – three years in elementary, one year in middle and two in high school. Doing that time I earned my Master’s in Special Education from the University of West Alabama. My courses taught range from general ed. math, science, and special education. This is my second year with Canton Public School District. Not only am I a classroom teacher, but I serviced homebound students as well.  

             I am a member of Word and Worship in Jackson, MS where Jeffery Stallworth is the presiding bishop. I have accomplished many goals and have more to achieve. I published my first novel in February 2011 and my sixth novel in March 2014. I am currently working on my seventh and final project. Also I am working on an inspirational project. In my spare time and as hobbies, I love to travel, read, listen to music, karaoke, watch television and movies, and socialize with family and friends.

            I am deeply rewarded in watching my students do the extraordinary. I have the perfect job, although I am far from perfect at doing it. I encounter the limits of my knowledge in one-on-one meetings, the classroom, and it is my students who help me to hone my skills as a teacher. Each day of my professional life is filled with new challenges, new knowledge, and ongoing attempts to inspire my students to tackle problems by rolling up my sleeves and immersing themselves in the process of learning. More than transmitting knowledge, teaching is about inspiring others to discover their purpose and potential.

            As an educator, I have the opportunity to impact the lives of students, and I take that role seriously. Each student enters the classroom with a unique and valuable set of life experiences, and my goal is to use the tools to help students better understand their lives and the larger social world in which they live. Teaching requires openness to change; therefore, I continually examine my teaching techniques and experiment with ways to become a more effective teacher.

            I strive to create an active, collaborative learning environment filled with curiosity and inquiry in which all participants are both teachers and learners and where students can discover knowledge rather than be passive recipients. I strongly believe that critical thinking and a global perspective are crucial to becoming a competent citizen in society.

            I recall the teachers who made a difference in my life, and I am grateful to them. In turn, it is essential for me to be available to students - and to fellow colleagues as well - to help them reach their goals. I have an open-door policy and strive to be approachable and welcoming to my entire school community.

            Through numerous professional development workshops, I have shared and brainstormed with faculty on how to enhance student learning. Galileo Galilei is quoted as saying, “You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself.” Through teaching I dedicate myself to inspiring, challenging, and nurturing the minds of my students as they discover the art of learning - and the art of life.

CANTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2014-2015 Canton Educational Service Center - Teacher of the Year

2013-2014 Canton Educational Service Center - Outstanding Service Award