Greetings from West Virginia! This is my home; the place where I have lived for my entire life. I have attended public schools and then West Virigini University, where I hold a Bachelors Degree in Music Education, and Elementary Education. While teaching school, I took classes at night to further my studies and obtained a Masters Degree in Educational Administration and a Masters Degree in Specific Learning Disabilities. While this may sound like a lot of "academia," I am more comfortable as a practitioner, where I have contact with young people daily. My age, well I think there comes a time in every woman's life where she feels old enough that she has earned the right not to tell. This is how I feel.
West Virginia is a beautiful state where the seasons are beautifully displayed in full color. The mountains are covered with deciduous trees whose leaves turn the full spectrum of colors including a multitude of various shades of yellow, red, orange, and gold during the fall. It is truly a site to behold, and many tourists travel to West Virginia in the fall to see the foliage at its peak of color.
The winter brings white capped mountains, and to every school child's delight, several "snow days" where school is cancelled. As for me, I enjoy the beauty of the white snow as it covers trees, roads, and houses, but sometimes the temperatures drop below freezing, and can even reach zero degrees or more with the wind chill factor. I guess I prefer warm to cold.
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Mitz is now 16 years old!
The spring is stunning with the multitude of colors of blumming bushes and trees. This is my favorite time of the year. It is a time, where it seems, of rebirth. I enjoy gardening and love to see blooming of all kinds.
Summer is also a time of enjoyment for me. As a teacher I have free time to travel, and it is then that I make my visits to NC's Outer Banks.
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Chloe, the baby.
Speaking of being a teacher, I can only tell you that the most important thing to me is watching my students progress. Currently, I teach 5th grade students. My school is located in a low socio-economic area, and many of the students suffer from the effects of poverty. I have always taught in such areas and through the "School of Hard Knocks," I have learned how to work with this kind of student. The "KEY," at least for me, has been to genuinely like and appreciate each student. Often times, I have prayed that I could like a particular student, because they know if this is sincere or not. If these students know that you really like and appreciate them they will do just about anything to please you, even behave! They are in need of sincere and compassionate human contact.
My other love is for animals. I have always had animals, and have learned much from their unconditional love.
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Daisy, who loved Eric.
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Corie, a very Special kitten Eric Found and loved.
Lastly, I would like to mention that I am a musician. As mentioned above, I hold a Bachelors Degree in Music Education where the clarinet was my major instrument. I have also taught 8th and 9th grade choir in the school I have mentioned above. The work was exhausting, but rewarding. However, when the 5th grade position became open, I took it. You see, 5th grade is the grade I have always desired to teach in a self-contained classroom setting. I feel that it is here that I can make the greatest impact on the students, because they are mine all day.
The man to your right is one of my very best friends and companion. He is holding Daisy, my toy poodle, who absolutely adores him. His is another story altogether. Eric is from Germany, he survived four and one-half years in Russian captivity at the end of World War II. I am intrigued by his wisdom and insight into the human condition. I am so glad to have him as my friend.
Eric, my friend, my mentor, my protector, my guardian and so many more things I cannot think of now, passed away on March 16, 2007. I know that he cannot be replaced, yet I am so happy for the time we shared together. I have written down a poem for him that you can read named "Weep Not." Should you be interested in reading this poem, just click on the title.
Kindest regards,
Janice
"The Dance"
Garth Brooks
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