Education & Experience: I have a BA in Elementary Education from Coastal Carolina University and Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning from Clemson University. Since graduating from CCU, I have been learning alongside elementary school students for over a decade now. While in the elementary setting I have taught all grade levels K-5. My first experience with my own classroom was as a 4th grade teacher in Columbia, SC. Here, I learned about building relationships with students and the positive impact of providing them with authentic, project based learning opportunities. After a few years of teaching in this capacity I became the science lab teacher at the same school. In this position, students in grades K-5 visited my classroom and we would work together to explore the wonders of the world through a variety of hands-on experiences. As the science lab teacher, I discovered the need to get students engaged with the natural world and how our local places can be our greatest learning resources. Now, with great excitement, I bring all that I have learned over the years to Woodson Branch Nature School and I am looking forward to the relationships and learning to come.
Teaching Philosophy: As humans it is natural to want, and need, to learn. As a teacher, it is my job to foster this natural drive deeper than the initial need. I work with students to push their wonders to a place that will help them build connections with the broader world. I work to provide students with opportunities to learn through experience and exploration, to ask questions that push their critical thinking skills, and to give them a space to reflect on all the knowledge they have gained. My hopes are that these experiences will build the skills and ignite a desire for learning that burns beyond any formal setting, and will help students follow every learning opportunity to its greatest potential.
Favorite thing about kids: Their sheer excitement about the world around them... and their ability to be brutally honest.
Favorite thing about working at WBNS:
Not sure yet, but I can feel a great sense of community that I am excited to be a part of.