1. What made you want to join the Mississippi Teacher Corps?
I joined MTC because I wanted to make a difference in the state of Mississippi which has given me so much. When I started college, I really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. My junior year I began to feel like I was being called to teach. When I looked into alternative route certification programs, MTC seemed to have an amazing support system and having gone to Ole Miss for undergrad I recognized the need for good educators in the state of Mississippi.
2. You're originally from Illinois. Talk about your relationship with the state of Mississippi.
I was born and raised in Illinois but knew growing up that I would eventually end up in the south. I chose Ole Miss for undergrad and I fell in love with the state of Mississippi. After graduation, I was in no hurry to leave, and I'm thankful that MTC gave me the opportunity to stay. I want to be able to do my part to make a difference in this wonderful state!
3. You're one of our middle school teachers. What is teaching on that level like?
I LOVE my middle school students. They are definitely a handful but they're so sweet and amazing and hilarious. I teach 6th graders, 7th graders, and 8th graders, so there is a major maturity difference between the different grades but that makes it even more fun. My 6th graders are so little and sweet while my 8th graders are so mature and intelligent and I just love all of them so much. A lot of people I've talked to have told me they would never want to teach middle schoolers, but I couldn't imagine loving any other age more. I adore my kids, and I'm so thankful to be where I am at.
4. You've been with your cohort for over five months now. How close is your group?
Our group is pretty close! We spent the whole summer together which really bonded us. We spent all day, every day together starting with early bus rides and ending with late nights lesson planning. Our cohort is pretty small, so it didn't take long for us to all get to know each other pretty well. I think the shared experience of the summer and now the shared experience of teaching in our schools connects us all really well. I can't wait to see how close we all are by the end of our two years in the program.
