K.AGAR: An Educational Bio
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Mrs. Bustle: An Educational Bio
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
-Apostle Paul |
My class is not about reading. Sure, it is somewhat about reading, but that’s not our primary focus. I really do hope that students leave my classroom with the knowledge to appreciate the works of Elie Wiesel in Night, and the dramatic story of Ishmael Beah in A Long Way Gone. However, in reading those wonderful stories, I hope my students use perseverance to dig into the information and show true effort to really get a grasp of what this information means to our real lives.
I was a good student, not a great student, but definitely a good student. Although, I can’t really help but look back and wonder what more I could have done. At the time in my life in which I was going through school, I said I did my best. Did I? Did I really do my best? Probably not. School wasn’t difficult for me. I didn’t have to study late into the night, and I had a mom who could proofread all of my essays and approve every project before it was submitted. While I’m grateful for all of those things, I can’t help but sit back and question if I had worked harder, what more could I have accomplished. Sure, I graduated with a high GPA, I attended the college of my choice, and I now am in a profession that I feel I am called to, but could I have done more? I don’t want any student to leave my classroom with that question. Hard work is essential. It will help students to be successful in school, but more importantly, it will help students to be successful in life. Life is about perseverance, grit, a willingness to learn, and a positive attitude. English class should also teach these skills. If a student does these things, they will succeed in my class and also in life. That is my true goal as a teacher…and hopefully they will enjoy some literature along the way. |
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B.SMITH: An Educational Bio
I didn't care for school when I was younger. I only went because I liked socializing with my friends, cracking jokes in class, and playing sports. I knew I had to try in order to stay on the sports teams, so I always did well academically. I also enjoyed being involved in all sorts of extra-curricular activities including Student Council, Youth and Government, Journalism, Mock Trial, , volleyball, basketball, and softball. I knew I had leadership skills when I found myself leading my peers in class and my teammates on the court and field. I will be honest, I am not sure I used those skills in a productive way all the time, but I tried.
I definitely became a more serious student once I reached my junior year. I realized the safety net of school was not always going to be there, and I had to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I went to Conn. State after graduation where I earned a softball and academic scholarship. That definitely helped with the finances, and I was extremely thankful that I had worked hard in and out of the classroom. It was in college that I realized I had a passion for teaching kids, so why not pair that with my love of reading? I finally figured out that it was not just a hobby to be reading under my covers at night with a flashlight-something that I have done since I was little and still did in college so I would not wake up my roommates. Weird? Yes, I know, but it is what it is. I loved books for the escape from reality. I also love the smell of books but don't share that with everyone. Ha! After graduation for college, I got a job teaching Environmental Science in New Hampshire. It was okay, but I really wanted to teach English. Marriage, a kid, and a small move to North Carolina gave me that opportunity. I taught at Mooresville Middle School for 8 years before moving to the high school to teach World Literature. I love my job because every day is SO VERY DIFFERENT, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I look forward to learning with students and showing them how we can travel and learn about people from all over the world with a simple turn of a page. Let's go! |
"People make choices. Choices make people."
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Mrs Dowling: An Educational Bio
"No matter how impossible it may seem, never under estimate the power of a dream!" - unknown
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Buying school supplies was one of my most favorite parts about summer...I know strange right. But, I loved walking down each aisle looking at the patterned journals, brightly colored notebooks and collecting as many pencils and pens as possible. I would, oh so carefully, write my name on each of the new supplies and pack them neatly in my book bag. I loved everything about going back to school...meeting my new teacher, seeing old friends, meeting new ones and math class. All those wonderful feelings quickly fleeted when reading class started.
No matter what grade I was beginning, the same feelings would bubble up inside of me because I knew I could not read. My face would begin to grow hot and flush when the teacher would begin to call on people to read aloud. This feeling never left me and still lingers inside me today. As much as I loved going to school, one of my biggest challenges faced me everyday...my reading disability. Some of my teachers did not believe in me. I over heard my second grade teacher say, “Oh, Maggie will not be able to graduate high school.” From that day forward I knew I could either give up or push through. I chose to push through with determination, grit and purpose. Even with my struggles in reading, I still loved school and always wanted to be a teacher. I desired to be like that teacher that made a difference in my life, Mrs. Palmer. She was one of my only teachers that truly believed in me and knew she was fighting in my corner. I made my dreams come true when I attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and obtained a double major in elementary and special education. When I walk into school each day I think to myself, “How can I be a Mrs. Palmer to my students?” |
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Ms. Hooper: An Educational Bio
One of my first childhood memories is going to Kindergarten and being mind-numbingly bored. My incredible mother had already taken time out of her day to teach me how to read and write before school so I sat in class throughout my Elementary School years day dreaming and trying to read book after book partially hidden underneath my desk. I was that kid in class.
As I progressed through middle and high school I decided to take as many AP and Honors classes as possible. I went to an extremely small school; in fact, I graduated with only 77 other high school seniors in the county! This meant that my options were limited in regards to what classes I could take. However, I inevitably drifted to more challenging English classes, but my biggest challenge in high school, and as a teacher now, is organization. I have made improvements but organization will be an ongoing challenge. I realize now that if I want to remember something, I need to write it down. Otherwise, my to-do list becomes a conveyor belt that pushes older information into the trash as newer information arrives. About halfway through my sophomore year of high school I was introduced to the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship. This opportunity was my personal savior in regards to my goal of going to college. I knew that my family was not going to be able to pay for my college education so good grades, volunteer involvement, and participation in school athletics and clubs were going to be my ticket to earning scholarships. After all of the hard work and dedication during my high school years, I graduated high school in June of 2011 with the knowledge that I would be going to Western Carolina University in the Fall without paying a dime out of my pocket. I didn’t actually want to be a teacher, though. I wanted to go to college and I knew that I could get two degrees within the four years that my scholarship would cover. I decided on an Education degree, which was a requirement of the scholarship, and an English degree. However, as Junior year arrived I realized that I actually liked the idea of teaching and making a positive difference in the lives of others. I was hooked and couldn’t wait until I had my own classroom! After graduation I applied for a teaching position at MHS and was offered the job on the day before my birthday. I immediately accepted and job and I have loved every minute since! |
The Voice
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