In August 2004 I began one of the most challenging endeavors of my life: as a member of the Mississippi Teacher Corps, I accepted the responsibility to be a seventh-grade Language Arts instructor at an "open concept" middle school in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest regions in the nation. Looking back, I do not believe you could find a more difficult assignment for a beginning teacher anywhere. Now, however, as I near the close of my second year at D. M. Smith Middle School in Cleveland, Mississippi, I am convinced that the numerous and unusual obstacles with which I have been forced to contend actually enabled me to become a more effective teacher in a shorter timeframe.

Here you may view my resume, read my philosophy of education, and see examples of teaching strategies and classroom management techniques that have been useful for me. Featured is coursework completed in the program along with reflections on my achievements, progress, and growth as a teacher.