School: Owensboro Innovative Middle, Owensboro Public Schools
Grade/Subject: Social Studies 6-8
Years of Experience: 22
I became a teacher to help the kids that were slipping through the cracks. Working as a baseball coach, I was draw, to the underprivileged and high risk kids, the ones that were failing and always in trouble. These kids were always complaining how they weren’t getting a fair break because of who they were, or as one put it, “not rich.” Together with another teacher we started an after school program that grew from 6 to 126. We discussed jobs and invited people in to speak to the children. I was hooked! When I was asked why I was fooling with them and told I should be working with kids that will be something, my reply was “I have faith in these.” I wanted to be a teacher to help these students and others like them be successful.
My favorite thing about being a teacher is everyday my goal is to teach children something new. To teach them we learn from our past to have a better future. I am very passionate about Social Studies and I interject that passion into my students. Their education allows them to be anything they want to be, including a teacher. There are many things about history I don’t know but with my students helping me we learn what we don’t know together. Amazingly Cool!
My favorite thing to do when I’m not working is to be actively involved in my church and to work with autistic children as a Positive Behavior Support Specialist, providing hope to families that see no hope by improving their child’s behavior and training the parents on how to establish patience, love, and routines to make their lives better.
My superpower would be the ability to see the future and what futures many of my students will have, so I could make a difference in their lives and help them be successful.