The Joyful Journey

I am in my 27th year as a teacher. I taught middle school for a few years before teaching Kindergarten. I LOVE teaching all ages, but my heart is definitely with kindergarten children! I am a mentor for student teachers from local colleges.

I do what works! At times, I would say my teaching style is inquiry based, while other times student-centered. I love for my students to be directly involved in their learning! I am a advocate in learning through play, especially in kindergarten.

I was nominated as Teacher of the Year, and I have received numerous grants.

I graduated from Louisiana State University in Shreveport, and I am certified in Pre-K through 8th grade.

I always knew that I would be a teacher. I grew up playing school with a chalkboard, overhead projector and out-dated manuals in my bedroom with my students (dolls) lined up on the wall. I am the mother of three daughters, my middle child Katie Caroline has been my inspiration during this TPT journey. After lots of internal debate with pros and cons, I decided to be Katie Caroline's kindergarten teacher (I had not planned on it, but I just felt that motherly instinct to teach her that year). That was the biggest blessing of my life. You see, the week after school got out for summer that year, we lost our sweet Katie Caroline, our precious, perfect 6 year old. What a blessing to be able to spend all day at school and then all day at home with my sweet daughter the last year of her life. It was during this time, that I understood my calling to teach, and 5 and 6 year olds became a little more precious to me. I can not think of any greater heartache than losing your child, and on those long nights, when I needed a distraction, I began creating things for my classroom. I obviously needed a LOT of distraction, because I began creating more than I could ever use in my personal classroom. This is when my TPT store was created. Katie means pure, and Caroline means joy. I have learned through this journey, that even through pain and heartache, you can still have joy. It is a choice, but I do choose to find joy. This was the beginning of "The Joyful Journey." I am so thankful for the hope of Heaven!