My Purpose in Education 2024:

This is my 16th year in education, and I am still evolving. In this short span of time, I have had the opportunity to impact the lives of over 2,500 students. This impact is not only relegated to imparting academic knowledge but to infuse a hunger for self-discovery through a unique approach to teaching. Each in every student who crosses the threshold of my classroom, brings a unique perspective and is molded by their past experiences. By understanding this amazing dynamic, I work hard to craft activities and inquiry lessons that will leave an indelible mark on my students. 

Education

I am currently enrolled at National University, pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Education with a focus on Social-Emotional Learning.

A New Approach to Teaching

With this qualification, my aim is to develop a distinctive learning curriculum titled "Life Through Science," integrating both academic and social-emotional elements. This program will foster connections between students, their environment, the world, and the universe of which they are intrinsically a part of. 

Be The Mountain

"Be The Mountain" is a subcategory within the "Life Through Science" program, which draws inspiration from various sources, including the 2019 pandemic, personal life challenges, my mountain adventures in Virginia, and the insightful observations of one of my special students. This impactful lesson on embodying the qualities of a mountain played a significant role in the opening speech titled "Mountaincrest" during my current school's 5th annual Black History Month Program.

During a challenging period in our school's history, I utilized the mountain analogy to uplift, encourage, and cultivate empathy among faculty, students, and parents. It served as a reminder of the essential character traits necessary for peaceful coexistence in our world. I emphasized the importance of being Accountable for one's actions, demonstrating Courage in the face of adversity, and practicing Empathy towards those who may seem different. These qualities, encapsulated in the acronym A.C.E., serve as the foundation for embodying the resilience and strength symbolized by the mountain.

Ultimately, I urged students to transition from embodying the traits of Hillcrest to embracing the resilience and fortitude represented by Mountaincrest.

My Summer Adventures-2019

I am adventurous in my personal life and in my professional life as an educator.  I love to travel and see all of God's beautiful creations.  The Application Mountain trail provided that experience for me.  I had the privilege of hiking both Mountain Loft and Matthew's Arm.  The picture to the left is the cliff at the very edge of Matthew's Arm.  The view was breathtaking!

  

My Family-

I have three loving children by the names of Russell, Kryana, and Micah Brown.  As a family we enjoy mountain bike riding at Hurricane Creek and Lake Lurleen.  Together, my children and I biked Tashka Trail which  was over 11 miles long. Our life long goal is to travel to Australia and Hawaii one day to hike to experience some of God’s beautiful creations. 

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My Professional Adventures 

 I graduated from The University of Alabama in 2007 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. I obtained my first teaching position at Englewood Elementary during the spring of 2008. During my six years at Englewood, I discovered that I had a passion for science! So, in 2012 I decided to sponsor Englewood’s first 5th grade science fair. This was such an exciting event because the students developed interesting hypothesis and gathered a wealth of data to substantiate their claims. WVUA came out to interview some of the most intriguing projects. The results of this fair both enabled the students to understand that science gives them a way to learn about the natural world and helped me to realize that I needed to be a science teacher.

 

            I decided to pursue a degree in secondary education at Grand Canyon University in May of 2014. This is my second year here at Hillcrest High School, and I love every minute of it. To date, I have taught general biology, advanced biology, and Earth/Space. I am also the recipient of the “One Class at a Time” $1000 grant, which was awarded to me in the spring of 2012.

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This is my seventh year teaching at Hillcrest High and I am absolutely loving it.  I have taken my students on numerous field trips to the Coosa River/4-H Camp in Calera, Alabama and The College of Geological Science at the University of Alabama to see a volcanologist! 

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James Spann

 As an educator, you will quickly learn that it truly takes a village to raise children and that saying also applies to education.  Every year, I invite our famous Meteorologist, James Spann to come out to our school to give a lecture on the important of understanding weather. Hillcrest High School was Spann's first Secondary experience! Spann provided insight into April 2011 tornado attacks and stressed the importance of educating the public on identifying safe shelter.  He proposed that many of the deaths could have been prevented if the victims had earlier warnings and/or knew where to hide.  

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