Education & Experience:
I have always been interested in science, the arts, and working with children. When I first began college, I wasn't sure how I could incorporate my top three passions into one promising career. Throughout my college journey, starting at a community college, then Warren Wilson, and then graduating from UNC Asheville, I found joy in tutoring my peers, helping them understand concepts, and gaining confidence within themselves. I interned for UNCA, starting a campus-wide recycling/composting campaign study, where success was statistically measured, and recycling/composting efforts were at an all-time high. After I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, I went to Asheville GreenWorks, an environmental non-profit in Asheville, where I helped create fun games, lessons, and projects to actively teach elementary students about recycling and composting. I was also the theatrical "Compost Queen", with a homemade fruit crown and cape, and would visit schools inspiring kids to care about their environmental impact. I was getting closer to finding what I was looking for. Then, I met Debbie at Woodson Branch for originally a discussion about composting. The moment I stepped onto the property, I had an epiphany, and the discussion became an interview. I soon after began my teacher assistant position with the 3rd and 4th grades. I fell in love with the kids, the school, the whole community, and the hands-on creative, yet scientific teaching philosophy of Woodson Branch. The following year, a lead teacher position for 3rd and 4th grade was offered to me, and I gladly accepted the opportunity. I finally found what I was looking for all along - a career where I can help kids blossom, not just academically, but also in self-confidence, persistence, and social and environmental responsibility, using creativity, science, and my own experiences as tools to teach and inspire our youth.
Teaching Philosophy:
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." - Albert Einstein "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin
What I love about teaching at WBNS: My favorite thing about teaching at Woodson Branch is that I am always challenged, and I am always encouraged to be myself. I love a good challenge and as I overcome them it helps me grow as a teacher, and as a person. This models perseverance and helps build character within my students as well. I am encouraged to use my competitive nature, creativity, problem-solving skills, persistence, sensitivity, and love for knowledge as tools to teach my students about academic and life lessons. My favorite part of being a part of this community is the phenomenal support and love I receive. I always feel supported when facing a challenge, and I am so grateful to be part of this family!
Favorite thing about kids:
My favorite thing about kids is their imagination! As adults, we tend to get wrapped up in our daily challenges and sometimes lose sight of things outside that. Kids brighten life with their imagination and energize my own creativity. They remind us to live in the moment and cherish life's small moments. I also love their curiosity and excitement towards learning. I think kids inspire me as much as I inspire them.