Where do you teach? Pine Knott Elementary, McCreary County
What subject(s)/grade(s) do you teach? MSD Special Education K-5
How many years have you taught? 7
Why did you become a teacher? I became a teacher to help students succeed! Following in the footsteps of my grandmother, I wanted to work with students with special needs. I wanted to provide them with the tools needed for academic and behavioral success in the future.
What has been the best part of teaching that you didn’t expect when entering the profession? The relationships that I have built with coworkers, students and families have been such a blessing! Teachers are a close-knit family that you can lean on, celebrate with, and have fun with!
What is one thing you wish non-teachers knew about what you do? Many see disabilities, but special education teachers see the abilities of the children they work with.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a teacher? Teaching one of my students to read aloud. Having his mother share a video of him reading to her after school was the best feeling! Seeing this child read aloud after being non-vocal for much of his life was a moment I will remember forever.
Favorite thing to do when you aren’t teaching? When I am not teaching I enjoy camping and fishing with my husband and our 3 year old little girl Macie Jane!
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? My superpower would be to provide positive experiences to students in school so that education does not feel like a job, it is something that they enjoy doing! Loving learning is something that can open up so many doors for students. Making education a positive experience can help open those doors for students who may not have the most positive experiences at school in the past.