Experience Summary
After earning my BS degree in Vocational Education at North Carolina State University, I received my first teaching position with an alternative education program working with at-risk students. The next year I received a position teaching in a regular school environment teaching and designing a work study curriculum and started a great new program. After teaching two years, I joined the military and was offered the opportunity to attend the USAF officer training school. I received my officer commission and entered the pilot training program in Enid, Oklahoma. I returned to my home town and started my own construction company, fulfilled my military commitment in the USAF reserves, and taught in an alternative high school full-time. After working for several years I had the opportunity to work in a high school building a construction technology curriculum. My North Carolina Contractor’s license enabled me to build a program around building houses on campus and selling them to build funds for new projects. Success in my program included having many students compete in competitions; several received awards, and one winning the state competition and placing number 15 in the nation. I work with this school for 7 years before moving to Florida, getting my Florida General Contractor’s license and that is what I have been doing recently. I am in the process of ending my construction business and would like to devote more time with students by working as a tutor.
Teaching Style
I believe that my opportunities and experiences in life both personally and in the education arena have prepared me to work successfully with students. I have always believed that letting students learn by doing and sometimes failing gives them a chance to learn how to adapt to life’s situations. In my vocational programs it was important to let the student’s personality and learning style surface before I could adapt a program to meet that student’s learning style. I feel I have a strong sense of what makes kids click and I know I would be an asset to many kids struggling in today’s classroom settings.