I have been a teacher in both special and regular education since I graduated from Berry College in the spring of 1976. I am currently in first grade and teaching in a Title I Distinguished School and a School of Excellence in Alpharetta, Georgia and I truly love it! I have been in the classroom since I graduated and have also been an interpreter for the Hearing Impaired for both the general public and for those who want to learn sign language on a personal level. What has my experience with TpT done for me personally and professionally? That is easy to answer because the changes were immediately noticeable. I have become a better teacher because creating materials for TpT has increased the depth in which I think about what and how I want to teach concepts to my students. I am always seeking new ways to create new ideas and new assessments for my students. On a more personal level the funds I make from TpT go to help my son, a veteran, who came home a wounded soldier. He requires therapy and my TpT funds go towards assisting him to put his life back together again after serving for over eight years as a Marine and in Iraq.
Definitely a "hands-on" approach with curriculum integration and differentiation as a focus because all children learn differently.
Nominated twice for Teacher of the Year in both my regular education and special education experiences. Recognized by my county for starting a summer program for special needs preschoolers called S.P.L.A.S.H. where they continued their education during the summer to help prevent academic regression.
I acquired my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from a small private college in north Georgia. My Master's is in "Technology in Education" from Lesley University and my Specialist's Degree is in Curriculum and Instruction from Piedmont College. My certificate also has a Special Needs PreK and Reading endorsement and I was involved for 7 years with special needs prek with medically fragile students. While in special needs prek I taught the hearing impaired and am certified in American Sign Language and do interpreting as needed for the general population and have taught classes for those who want to communicate with the hearing impaired.
I am a mother of four grown sons and have two grandchildren who I think are the best children in the whole world. I have three dogs and one crazy cat; Daisy, Penelope, Sadie and Snickers. Being a part of TpT and creating wonderful teacher materials for my classroom is now a passion for myself but more importantly for other teachers who I hope will come to enjoy them as much as I do. I design each one of my teacher units with the classroom teacher in mind so that all you have to do is cut, laminate and it is finished. I line up the pages so that numerous pages can be cut out at once and save you time!