When I was younger, I viewed education as a great leveler, allowing people to move from lower economic groupings to higher ones, but now, I view education as the creator of a wider path for personal and professional improvement that motivates individuals to move past where they might have stopped. For example, it is good to be a skilled gardener, but today, people are not only gardeners but also landscape designers, public space architects, and private garden builders for large estates. Education is one of the most valuable aids people have as they pursue their dreams and goals and is the reason I teach.
As a first-generation college graduate, I earned a BA from UNC Greensboro in theatre arts, speech communications, and English education. My Masters in English is from Campbell University; however, I have never stopped going to school. I spent a most interesting summer studying theatre at Northwestern University, and one of my best memories is from a science class at Western Carolina where I learned to sniff spiders. Over the past forty years, I have worked with students from around the world. My ESL and Academically Gifted certifications allow me to use many styles. I like being casual but know the value of formality. I love theatre and art and use them often in English class, but humans communicate everywhere and take in information at alarming rates, so the need to excel in written communication is greatest.