A Pirate's Passion for Education
The wide eyes of a six year old never expect a teacher on top of the tables, but that's what I was seeing as I sat in Mrs. Martin's first grade class. She was at it again, jumping on top of the desks, arms outstretched, eyes glowing & threatening to turn into the Incredible Hulk. This was only one of her many stunts to keep me and my fellow classmates engaged. More than her stunts I remember one curious detail, Mrs. Martin always wore a Pirate tattoo on her face every Friday before a football game, representing her school East Carolina University.
As the years passed and I prepared for college, I was undecided on which university to attend. The NC Teaching Fellows Scholarship made that decision for me when they offered me a full ride to East Carolina University. The final sign that Greenville, NC would be my home came during orientation weekend. As I sat in a booth in a local pizzeria, I noticed a woman standing tall in the corner booth. She was walking across the seat of the booth and jumped off the end. It was none other than Mrs. Martin! At that moment I knew I was in the place where I would begin my journey as an educator.
I earned my BS degree in Elementary Education, an MAEd in Instructional Technology, and began to develop an interest in technology and arts integration. Through my experience over the last 11 years in the classroom, and continued education outside of the classroom, I have honed my craft. My budding interests in technology and the arts have blossomed into a philosophy that embraces integration and collaboration. It is my belief that children learn best when they can use skills learned for a purposeful, authentic task. Therefore, much of my instruction is geared towards project based learning that pushes students to think outside the box and integrate their knowledge of all subject areas in order to produce an authentic product.
In Mrs. Martin's honor, and to honor the passion of the Pirate Nation, I too wear my Pirate tattoo every Friday before a football game. This small symbol represents not just the passion of East Carolina Alumni, but is also a symbol of my passion for education.
As the years passed and I prepared for college, I was undecided on which university to attend. The NC Teaching Fellows Scholarship made that decision for me when they offered me a full ride to East Carolina University. The final sign that Greenville, NC would be my home came during orientation weekend. As I sat in a booth in a local pizzeria, I noticed a woman standing tall in the corner booth. She was walking across the seat of the booth and jumped off the end. It was none other than Mrs. Martin! At that moment I knew I was in the place where I would begin my journey as an educator.
I earned my BS degree in Elementary Education, an MAEd in Instructional Technology, and began to develop an interest in technology and arts integration. Through my experience over the last 11 years in the classroom, and continued education outside of the classroom, I have honed my craft. My budding interests in technology and the arts have blossomed into a philosophy that embraces integration and collaboration. It is my belief that children learn best when they can use skills learned for a purposeful, authentic task. Therefore, much of my instruction is geared towards project based learning that pushes students to think outside the box and integrate their knowledge of all subject areas in order to produce an authentic product.
In Mrs. Martin's honor, and to honor the passion of the Pirate Nation, I too wear my Pirate tattoo every Friday before a football game. This small symbol represents not just the passion of East Carolina Alumni, but is also a symbol of my passion for education.