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Impacting our world... one student at a time

Our Students Deserve The Best!

Impacting our world... one student at a time

Our Students Deserve The Best!

WHY I TEACH

"I can't teach anybody anything; I can only make them think."~ Socrates

Within the first few seconds of talking to me, you'll notice that I have an accent. I was born on the beautiful island of Jamaica. I am a military spouse, and mom to amazing twin girls. My life journey is not one that I would have imagined in my wildest dreams, but it has shaped me in profound ways and for that I am grateful.

Growing up, my options were limited. Just being able to graduate high school was such a huge accomplishment. If you were fortunate enough to have great influence from those around you, such as your parents, grandparents or other family members, then pursuing a career was another important milestone. My parents and grandparents never had the opportunity to even dream about college, but what they poured into me, reiterated the fact that every generation should get better.

My educational journey hasn't been traditional for the most part. That's a story for another day. What I can tell you now though is that the more I have learned over the years, the more thirsty I have become for more. In hindsight, I realize how limited my own dreams were. I often wonder how different things would have been, if my eyes were fully open to the plethora of opportunities that education affords us.

I am grateful for the support of family, friends, and colleagues who have consistently believed and invested in me. You are my village. I am forever grateful and will always seize opportunities to pay it forward.

So now I'm on this journey to ensure that each student I encounter, not only see me as their teacher, but as the gateway to a world of opportunities. They should leave my classroom with a thirst for learning that only further education can quench.

Join me in being progenitors of critical thinkers!

When the Going Gets Tough

Life as a teacher gets difficult. What keeps me going though, is that I can always think of at least one student who has been directly impacted by my commitment to excellence in the classroom. Not all are able to recognize and articulate the impact immediately, which is ok, because as they say, hindsight is 20/20. Here's an excerpt from one student who surprised me with one of the most beautiful letters I have ever received.

"Dear Ms. Smith- Congratulations for getting Teacher of the Year for Stafford Elementary. You deserve the awesome position that you are in. You deserve to be proud of yourself and the amazing hard work that you dedicate in class. I love the positive activity that you plan every day.

Truly I wish that I'll have a teacher like you in middle school, who inspire[s] a passion for learning. Your dedication and unwavering commitment to your students is truly admirable, and I was so fortunate to have you this year! To the A++ teacher everyone wants, you are making a difference in my education and personal life. Back in Africa science and I were enemies. You made science my friend. Congrats on being the best teacher!".

Impacting our world... one student at a time

Impacting our world... one student at a time

WHY I TEACH

"I can't teach anybody anything; I can only make them think."~ Socrates

When the Going Gets Tough

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