tarabailey

PHILOSOPHY of Adventist Education

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
- MATTHEW 5:16

I am committed to an educational truth not rooted in Adventism alone, but in the Word and therefore I am committed to serving children and families through an Adventist Educational System. A commitment made mainly because it fosters a balanced development of the whole person— spiritual, physical, intellectual, and social-emotional—a process that spans a lifetime.

TEACHING

I have taught only in our Adventist School System for 20 years and have loved every moment with the students. I have learned as much as I have shared with hundreds of students and I count that as a blessing. My teaching track has taken me through all the elementary grades K-8th. The classroom arrangements I have taught include single-grade classrooms, multi-grade classrooms, and one-room schools in both K-8 and K-12 schools.

In addition to teaching in the classroom, I have also had the honor to teach my own children through homeschooling. Throughout various points of my teaching experience, homeschooling was by far the most strenuous, yet rewarding, given that you must set-up every component of the program and curriculum on your own while you fund it. All my girls enjoyed it and we all gained a bond stronger than any other experience we have had as a family.

ACADEMIC WORK

My academic career began at Alcorn State University as a Business Management major. After sincere prayer about where I could serve the Lord best, I answered the call to go into teaching at Oakwood College in 1996. After actively pursuing my BS degree in Elementary Education, I graduated “Honorable Mention” and decided to gain teaching experience before pursuing a master’s degree. Throughout my teaching ministry I have maintained a current NAD Denominational certification by earning both Academic and Professional credits. Also, I have attained an Administrator’s Certification on the basis of my administrative experience. I am currently pursuing my MA degree in Curriculum and Instruction to further my ability to serve in different areas of Education. This also will enhance the projects I have always strived to bring into every school where I have taught.

LEADERSHIP

Over the years I have enjoyed serving in both administrative teaching positions as well as being a classroom teacher. Leadership opportunities have afforded me the opportunity to put in action what I believe every child deserves in a school setting.

Edifying and encouraging teachers has always been important to me. As such, the Lord has allowed me to serve Him and enrich my colleagues in a number of ways:

Trainer, Bible Encounter, Southern Union
Writer, Curriculum Committee - Pathways, North American Division
Writer, Curriculum Committee - BRIDGE, North American Division/Southern Union
Coordinator & Facilitator, Outdoor School, South Central Conference

Member, K-12 Board, Kentucky-Tennessee Conference
Member. K-12 Board, Texas Conference
Member, School Evaluation Committee, Gulf States Conference
Member, School Evaluation Committee, Texas Conference
Presenter, Multi-Grades Pathways, Texas Conference

Presenter & Co-Presenter, 2006 & 2012 North American Division Teachers' Convention - Nashville
Presenter & Co-Presenter, 2018 North American Division Teachers' Convention - Chicago

SERVICE

As an educator, everything I do is service. To highlight the other side of ministry for me is to describe the way the Lord has placed service full time in my life alongside my family. CHANGEministry (changeministry.org) is what the Lord gave our family almost 20 years ago. CHANGE is an acronym inviting seekers to “Come Have A New Growth Experience”. Beginning as a youth Bible study for a few Academy students curious about Biblical concepts, it grew into an online Bible Study and evangelistic ministry that blesses hearts around the world. Directed by my husband, an evangelist, teacher, and former lay-pastor, CHANGEministry has travelled worldwide “Touching Christ -Teaching People”.

Some other great things CHANGE has been able to do is to work in partnership with conferences to teach churches principles of reconciliation and emphasize Biblical concepts by hosting local revivals. As a family, we enjoy feeding the homeless and ministering through puppetry. We also give personal Bible studies and spiritual counseling.

SKILLS

My background is extensive in the use of learning enrichment resources including Discipleship Training, Responsive Classroom, Pathways 2.0, 4-MAT, WrAP, FACTS, DIBELS, Dreambox, Clever, Reading A-Z, Lexia, and Star 360. Having used both Microsoft Office Suite and Apple’s equivalent, my teaching software/hardware experience includes utilizing SMART Board, Apple iPads, Amazon Kindles, Nooks, Alexa, and various desktops and laptops for learning.