Education & Experience: My background is in early childhood education. I received my Infant/Toddler Certification in 2009, my Early Childhood Certification in 2013, and my Associate Degree in Educational Sciences with Honors from AB Tech in 2014. I began teaching in 1999 at Kaleidoscope Child Care Center in Weaverville, NC where I taught 1 to 2 year olds for 3 years. Then, I moved to Bell’s School for People Under 6 in Fletcher, NC and taught 3 year olds for 3 years, and then 5 year olds for another 5 years there. In 2010, I met Debbie and began working at the Hot Springs Community Learning Center teaching the 4 to 5 year olds in the TK class before becoming a Kindergarten teacher at WBNS in 2017.
Teaching Philosophy: Early childhood is an amazing time in a child's development and every day I feel privileged to be part of this special period in their life. I believe that a child’s natural curiosity is their best guide to learning and my role as their teacher is to create a safe and supportive environment that encourages children to explore, question, and learn about the world in meaningful ways that matter to them. I believe young children learn best through play and I encourage my students to ask questions and find out answers through hands-on learning materials and time to explore their ideas.
Favorite thing about kids: My favorite thing about kids is their curiosity and their humor. Young children are naturally yearning for knowledge and I particularly love chatting with them and listening to their unique perspectives, hearing their questions, and being captivated by their imaginations. I love to laugh with children. The silly nature of their humor is infectious and I’m always up for a good corny kids’ joke.
Favorite thing about working at WBNS:
My favorite thing about working at WBNS is the school's focus on the importance of children being outdoors and making meaningful connections with the natural world. I think it’s really special that our students have opportunities everyday to observe and appreciate the plants and animals we share the mountains with and that make our home such a unique place. At WBNS, curiosity, stewardship, and community are as important to the curriculum as reading, writing, and math. We spend over half our school day outside doing activities like art, lessons, eating lunch, or playing in the forest, which fosters a connection to place and a love of nature.
“Roots of understanding grow deep when curious minds are nourished in nature.” - Nell Regan
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