Education is not one-size-fits-all, and my educational and teaching journey is proof in itself. I started out in a private school kindergarten, then went to a good public school from the first grade through the fourth grade, before I finally ended up being homeschooled from the fifth grade through graduation. Even after my parents decided to homeschool my siblings and I, we started off with Christian Liberty Press curriculum and then transitioned to BJU Press curriculum when I entered high school. All of these changes helped prepare me for the flexibility that I would need in my career as a public high school mathematics teacher.
Having spent over ten years teaching high school mathematics in Texas, South Carolina, and Arkansas, I have seen firsthand the challenges students face in traditional settings, and, from personal experience, I know that some of these hurdles can extend into homeschooling as well. My background as a homeschool graduate gives me a unique empathy for students who learn outside the box, while my professional career has equipped me with the qualifications and skills necessary to ensure that students learn and are engaged in learning.
Elementary Education: Redwater ISD in Redwater, TX
Middle School/High School Education: Homeschooled - Christian Liberty Press & BJU Press/Homesat
B.S. in Mathematics, Texas A&M Univeristy - Texarkana (GPA: 3.97; Major GPA: 4.00)
M.S. in Interdisiplinary Studies, Concentration in Education, Texas A&M Univeristy - Texarkana (GPA: 3.89)
Math Tutor at Texarkana College
Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at Texarkana College
Mathematics Teacher at Texas High School in Texarkana, TX
Mathematics Teacher at Hillcrest High School in Simpsonville, SC
Mathematics Teacher at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, SC
Mathematics Teacher at Decatur High School in Decatur, AR
Mathematics Teacher at Gentry High School in Gentry, AR
Subjects taught: Math Models, Geometry, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Algebra 2 Honors, Precalculus, Prealgebra, & Introduction to Algebra
Hillcrest High School Teacher of the Month for September 2015
Member of the Hillcrest High School Digital Leadership Team
I don't just teach students how to solve an equation; I teach them why the logic works. This has always been my teaching philosophy, as Proverbs 14:6 says, "knowledge is easy unto him that understands".
Whether a student is catching up, staying on track, or looking to get ahead, I tailor my approach to their specific curriculum—public, private, or home-based.
My expertise and background drive me to be successful in helping students understand. Although no teacher/tutor is a "fix-all", I am called to be a math teacher/tutor and that compels me to never give up on students and never let students give up on themselves.
In line with these core philosophies, I have aspirations to develop the following future resources:
A YouTube podcast which seeks to inform the public of current challenges in the public school system and potential fixes to the problems.
An online classroom platform that will give students a classroom feel without the classroom disruptions.
An innovative, game-based, independent-learning math curriculum designed to make learning more engaging than ever for all students at home and in the classroom.
To learn more about any of these, visit the Services page.