What inspired your love of science? We are the works of an almighty Creator. All of nature is His, and all creation shows His hands. Science provides an amazing way to back up the truths of the Bible. While secularists believe science and religion are opposites, I believe they are complementary. Humans have taken most scientific inventions and advances from creation itself. I love science because it allows me the opportunity to show students who God is. It allows me to teach my students that they can use science as a jumping-off point for discussing the gospel with nonbelievers. What are your three favorite books? • Essential Christianity by J.D. Greear • What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe • Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus What are three things your students have taught you? • Don’t take things too seriously. We work really hard in fifth grade, but we also laugh a lot. My students keep me laughing and giggling throughout the day. We try to laugh about every obstacle we meet. • Be flexible. Fifth grade is unique because we follow a different schedule throughout the day than the rest of elementary school. This creates challenges and obstacles. My students have taught me to be flexible. • Try new things. My students are always trying a new sport, activity, or hobby. I like to see what they are doing, and it inspires me to keep learning new things. If I hear about something new, I will often investigate. Sometimes, I even end up enjoying that hobby too! Name three things that bring you joy: • Dogs - I am a massive friend of animals, especially dogs. I have always had dogs as a part of my life and can’t imagine life without them. They are great companions, and they are hardwired to be with humans. • Adventures with my family - I love doing new things. When my husband and I were first married, he would wake me up randomly on a weekend and say, “Let’s go on an adventure!” This usually included trying a new place, driving to a nearby town, or doing a new activity. We have continued this tradition with our daughter. • Learning something new - I love to learn new things. I get joy from consuming new information. This could be a hobby, skill, or just reading a research article. What are three things you want your students to know when they leave your class? • Be you! I always tell the kids they need to be proud of who God made them to be. I tell them, “The only opinion that matters is God’s, and the world would be so boring if we were all the same.” • The Gospel - I cannot share the Gospel with my students enough. While some come to me as believers, many do not. My hope is that by hearing the story of the Bible through multiple means, they might have a seed planted in their hearts. • Failure and mistakes are a good thing! So many kids believe they must be perfect in all areas to succeed. I tell them frequently that only Jesus was perfect. We must make mistakes and fail at things in life to keep learning and growing. What motivated you to pursue a Doctorate as an elementary teacher? I have always loved learning. Before I got my doctorate, I pursued two different master’s degrees. One is in secondary language acquisition, and the second is in education. As educators, our job is to expand our knowledge continually. You can’t teach children to love learning if you do not have the same passion. Getting my doctorate was the next step in my ability to expand my knowledge in the field of education. I also love curriculum development, like putting together a huge puzzle where each piece fits at certain times in the classroom. My doctorate allowed me to specialize in curriculum to gain experience doing something I enjoyed. FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 7
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