University of South Carolina 1992-1996 Master of Education, Secondary Education

USC- Coastal Carolina College 1990-1992 Bachelor of Arts in Education, Cum Laude,

USC-Lancaster 1988-1990 Associate in Science, with Honors

2. Beginning with most recent, list teaching employment history indicating time period, grade level, and subject level.

Dent Middle School 1995- present 7^th World Geography and 8^th Grade US/SC History

E.L. Wright Middle School October 1994, 1995 7^th Grade World Geography

3. Beginning with most recent, list professional association memberships including information regarding offices held and other relevant activities.

Palmetto State Teachers Association, 1995- present

South Carolina Council of Social Studies, 1996- present

National Council of Social Studies, 1996- present

South Carolina Middle School Association, 1995- present

Dent PTA, 1995- present

South Carolina Geography Alliance, 1997- present

National Geographic Society, 1992- present

Richland District Two Inservice, Presentation, Question and Answer session with 4^th grade teachers- Using the Internet in the Classroom, August, 1997

Richland District Two Social Studies Teachers Inservice, Internet in the Social Studies Classroom, July, 1997

5. Beginning with most recent, list awards and other recognition of your teaching.

Dent Middle School Teacher of the Year, February 1998

Arthur and Rochelle Belfour Holocaust Educator, July 1997

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by

And that has made all the difference.

According to the original doctrine of the Presbyterian Church, the lives of people are predestined before they are born. As they progress through life, they are presented with a series of choices and by the hand of God, they choose the right path. I am certain that this is the case with my life; I was predestined to be a teacher. If I had any doubts, I could first look at my family. My great-great-grandfather Julius Montfort Yoder, great-great-uncle Herman Yoder, and great-aunt Ethel Shaw set the stage for several cousins and me to become teachers. I am certain that they worked extremely hard, with very little resources, to educate children in the first half of this century in a South still recovering from the ravages of the War Between the States. They worked in cramped, one room schoolhouses to educate children who, for the most part, would work on the family farm once they finished school. They valued education and showed their students that there was more to the world than cotton bales and cotton gins, and that the world extended further than their community.

Secondly, I grew up in a neighborhood with several retired educators whom I dubbed my "in-town grandmothers." I took care of them as I would have taken care of my grandmothers had I lived closer to them. I would mow their lawns, retrieve things from their attics, help decorate at Christmas, and clean gutters. I would accompany one special lady to the bank, produce market, and the grocery store. Their influence is hard to put into words; they taught by their actions and were always willing to help when I was having academic difficulties in school. They shared in my triumphs and were there to help me through during occasional setbacks.

My parents were also valuable educators, teaching my brothers and me to always do our best no matter how small the task. They had high expectations for us when it came to school and would not accept anything but our best. Mom and Dad provided us with the tools necessary to be successful; there were always books, magazines, and newspapers in the house. Most importantly, they were involved in our education. They attended PTA meetings and school plays, volunteered in the classroom, and kept tabs on us all while working full-time jobs. I honestly do not know where they had the energy to do all that they did (and continue to do) for their three boys. The values of hard work and honesty are still a part of me today.

So, with all of this in my background, it would seem that I would have known early that I was going to be a teacher, but I did not. I wanted to be an architect like my great-grandfather Julian Starr; however, self-doubt in math prevented me from realizing that goal. I muddled through not really knowing what I was going to do. In high school I realized that I had a natural curiosity when it came to history. I was curious about my roots and am positive that this is a genetic trait inherited from my great-grandmother Eula Starr, a pack rat and historian in her own right. She was a prolific writer and truly enjoyed researching her family and the community in which they had lived for over 200 years. My eleventh grade year I discovered how much influence my family had had on me when a writing assignment in language arts class snowballed. Mrs. Eleanor Griffin was going to publish a book of our work financed by an EIA grant. While others chose to fulfill the basic requirements, I felt compelled to do more. I interviewed numerous family members about their memories of the past. I began writing, and before I realized it, I had written enough to fill half of Remember When…Recollections III. Mrs. Griffin was there every step of the way, encouraging me to do my best. A little bit of Mrs. Griffin is in my classroom on a daily basis. When my students want to rest on the laurels of past accomplishments, I push them to reach new heights.

In college, I started taking education courses in addition to the many history classes I took to try and satisfy the "curiosity gene." Things just seemed to fall into place. It became easier to schedule classes, and my life began to feel as if it was on the right path. It was not until I did my student teaching that I realized that teaching was my destiny. Upon graduation I had a difficult time finding a teaching job. Advisors failed to tell me social studies jobs are few and far between. I continued to work in a hotel at the beach, but knew that I would not be a desk clerk and night auditor forever. I bring this to my students. I stress to them that they should not give up their dreams when all seems hopeless because when least expected, an opportunity to realize your dream will come along.

The opportunity for me to realize my destiny came when I interviewed with Dr. Chris Lempesis in September 1994. I worked very hard during that first year in a difficult situation (coming in behind a teacher that left for an administrative position at RNE). Through all the trials and tribulations, I knew this was what I was supposed to do with my life. Even at the end of the year when I was not offered a contract due to the loss of a teaching position, Dr. Lempesis encouraged me to persevere. He did this by telling me that I had the makings of a good teacher. After a frantic summer, I was hired by Mrs. Cheryl Washington at Dent, and it is here I have seen my career flourish. The ultimate compliment has to be my recognition as "Teacher of the Year."

My greatest accomplishments have to be my students for after all that is why I am in the classroom. They are my primary responsibility. Just like my forbears, I am teaching in a time of social upheaval. Many of my students come to school with "baggage," and many come from single parent households that are often riddled with substance abuse and violence. Through technology and basic skills, I try to prepare my students for the world outside of school; so, long after they have left my classroom, when they encounter a fork along the path, they too will choose the one that will make all the difference. I know I did.

Member, Dent Middle School Improvement Council (current secretary), Dent Middle School Parent Teachers’ Association (current), Dent Yearbook Advisor (current), Dent Dateline Live! Morning News Show Sponsor (current), Dent Dateline Weekly Newsletter Editor (current), Dent Middle School Student Council Volunteer (current), After School Technology Teacher (1996-97), Creation Station Level II participant (also mentor Level I participants at Dent), Math, Inc. Student Service Learning Club volunteer (current), Dent Science Fair Judge (current)

After school study skills program volunteer

Homebound Teacher (current)

Technology for Two Teacher

Having lived in Columbia for only four years, I have not had the opportunity to involve myself in activities on the community level because my students have been my primary responsibility. I spend many hours after school working with children who need additional academic assistance. I have also been assigned some challenging homebound cases. Although these students are unable to function in a traditional classroom setting, they deserve an education. It is very rewarding to see a student with limited success achieve beyond his or her expectation. I believe teaching is the ultimate community service, and I am happy to give many hours serving the leaders of tomorrow.

One of the first things a teacher learns while in the classroom is that all students are not the same. It is even more apparent in a middle school classroom: students change on a daily basis. The classroom can be like Mr. Toad’s wild ride from The Wind in the Willows, in that the children ride an emotional roller coaster with many twists and turns; some are violent, and others are easy. The middle school atmosphere is a dynamic place where the only stagnant things are those that are nailed down! Therefore, if a teacher is not flexible, that teacher will break into a million pieces. When I get home most afternoons, I feel like a contortionist or a human pretzel. I have seen my life pass before my eyes as if I have just gotten out of Mr. Toad’s car. Every step of the way I have to be on like a light bulb. I have to be three or four steps ahead of my students because I know the next question they ask is going to challenge me. I can see it in their eyes, and I can almost hear them thinking, "I am going to stump Mr. Vaughan this time." I think it is neat to see the students try to challenge me.

Primarily, an effective teacher has to have the students in mind when planning. Each lesson must be able to be presented in more than one way, depending upon the state of the learners when they walk in the door. It is inevitable that adjustments will have to be made. By making these adjustments, the teacher will ensure the success of the learners. After the lesson, I am constantly reassessing what I did, what worked, and what did not work. Even during the course of the lesson, if I sense something is not successful, I will readjust it. My ultimate challenge is to see every child reach his or her potential.

Next, the effective teacher must know the students. I spend a great deal of time trying to get to know something about each of my students. I try to find something that we have in common, whether it is music, movies, food, or games. I think the students like to see me as a human being, not just a teacher who lives in the classroom. By my showing interest in their lives, the students feel accepted in my classroom. Once this takes place, a student will want to reach for goals that are set by me.

The effective teacher has to use more than one instructional method to reach the learners. There are some days when I have to give my students notes. I can cover more material in a concise manner. But, if I would try to give notes every day, the students would quickly tire with this. (I discovered this early during my first year of teaching!) Therefore, I try a variety of activities. If a visitor would observe my class over a period of a week, he or she would see a very different classroom each day. Cooperative learning gives the students an opportunity to do a bit of socializing while completing an assignment. By putting them in groups, they can teach and learn from each other. After all, students learn more from their peers. I believe it is also important that students have this time so they can see the consequences of too much socializing and not getting the assignment completed (a mistake that is rarely repeated). I give individual assignments so that I can circulate throughout the classroom to help students who are having difficulty. I believe that every child can achieve, and I encourage them to adopt Nike’s new slogan as their personal slogan: "I can."

Within the context of an ever-changing world, I must help prepare my students to become responsible citizens. By studying events from the past and the decisions that were made to solve problems, I hope students will better understand the world today and be able to better make decisions that may not only effect their lives but also the community in which they live. I stress to students that it is important for them to take responsibility for their own actions. I want them to understand that one day they will have to make decisions in their place of employment, at the ballot box, or as a consumer.

I provide my students with opportunities to develop the skills necessary to become a life-long learner. Language arts, reading, math, and science are all incorporated into the classroom. I feel it is important for the students to understand that in the world outside of school, they will work with all subject areas, not just math or science for fifty minutes at a time. Life is integrated. Students better understood this after spending time with Junior Achievement Consultant this past fall. She discussed the business world, as students sat engrossed with each of her lessons.

Technology is now dominating our lives whether we like it or not. It is very important for students to be exposed to technology, and I am integrating it in the classroom whenever appropriate. From such varied activities as entering grades into Grade Quick, typing a letter to a parent, producing a test, or presenting a lesson in Power Point via the Aver Key, students see me using the laptop almost every day. I believe students learn by example. If they see me using technology, they will see it as an important and valuable tool. I also encourage them to use technology. We use computers to construct graphs in World Geography, and we type reports for US/SC History.

Teaching is riddled with challenges and rewards. Teachers are subject to personal attacks from the public. Education is not the kind of profession many parents want for their children. We work long hours and receive very little recognition for our efforts. However, there are not very many professions through which one is able to reach thousands of lives over the course of a career. It is an awesome responsibility and one that is not to be taken lightly. I am proud to say that I am a teacher because I know that in my classroom I am preparing a future doctor, lawyer, nurse, blue-collar worker, or entrepreneur. Hopefully, the lessons learned in my classroom will follow my students through the rest of their lives.