Education

B.S.  Claflin University, Elementary Education

M.Ed. Winthrop University, Educational Leadership

I am a 15 year veteran teacher.  This is my fifth year in the Darlington County School District and my second year at Spaulding Middle School where I currently teach sixth grade English.

I was the 2011-12 Spaulding Middle School’s Teacher of the Year and a Darlington County Honor Roll teacher.  I feel so blessed to work with such a wonderful group of teachers who are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children.  I know that any accolades I have received has been because of a supportive administration and our awesome Spaulding Middle School team!

I love children and I love technology!  So I spend my days doing the my two favorite things, blending the two together.  I am so excited for the opportunties that will happen this school year.

Educational Philosophy

The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think – rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men. ~Bill Beattie

Reading enriches our thoughts, widens our vision and enhances our knowledge. The more we read, the better our power expression in both written and spoken will be. An avid and voluminous reader is always filled with ideas and great thoughts to express himself on multiple and various subjects effectively and comprehensively.

The importance of reading permeates every level of education. To encourage reading is paramount. To restrict what is read is beyond comprehension. The importance of what we read is necessary to define. In particular, a broad knowledge base of all genres is crucial to a well-developed mind.

Personal Philosophy

If you are not a part of the solution– you are a part of the problem.

I could have been a lawyer or doctor – but I chose to create them.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. – Reinhold Niebuhr

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson

Personal Hobbies/Family Info

My husband Clifton and I live in Florence with our 6 year old daughter Camryn (fulltime) and five other adult god-children – Venyke, Ra’Sean, Janita, Sequilla, and Patrick (part-time). I enjoy reading, listening to music, spending time with family and friends, providing service to my local community with my Alpha Kappa Alpha sisters, and thinking of ways to keep my students excited about learning. I am a technology junkie and love getting new gadgets to play with.