After graduating from TCS in 1991, Tara attended Messiah College where she earned her B.A. in English Education. We are excited to welcome her back to TCS to teach pre-algebra, intro to algebra, and algebra to our 7th, 8th, and 9th graders.
Learn more about Tara and what she shared with us about who inspired her and what she hopes to teach her students.
What/Who inspired you to take up teaching?
My HS English teacher at TCS, Ms. Mary Martin inspired me. I took English and drama with her and loved everything about her, she was like a magical fairy. She had a lot of passion, was very kind and interesting. And one day, she told me that I would make a great teacher. It was then that I decided, “I have to be a teacher.”
Why did you choose to teach at TCS?
I loved attending Timothy as a student, and I am thrilled to now be back on the campus as a teacher. This place holds a very special place in my heart.
What were you doing prior to coming to TCS?
After college, I got married to my husband, also a TCS alum, and taught at Timothy for three or four years. Then I had my kids and decided to stay at home with them, till they grew a little older. When my youngest started school, I started working for a news and media transcription company and was in charge of quality control. I also trained and taught the new transcribers. But I just missed being around kids and decided it’s time to get back to the classroom.
How do you plan to integrate faith and learning at TCS?
With math, it can be kind of tricky. Numbers have order; everything’s orderly and has its place, but it’s really more integrated in just how we interact, and the decisions we make. I want to instill honesty and respect in them. As I talk to my students about not cheating, gossiping etc., I will be integrating Christian values in the classroom.
In what ways do you want to prepare students for a life beyond TCS?
Middle school and High school is really the only time that they’re expected to be great at everything. But I want to tell them that, “You don’t need to be great at everything, but still have to be ok at things, even if you don’t like it much, like math. The things you are good at, you can strive to be great at it.”