Traci: Essex County tutor

Certified Tutor

I had no idea that I would become a teacher once I grew up. In fact, my undergraduate degree is in business and I was already working in human resources at a trucking company when I realized I was in the wrong profession. The realization hit me shortly after I began volunteering for an inner-city outreach organization called Streets Ministries. There I helped tutor first graders in reading. It didn't take long for me to realize that I was hooked. I loved working with the kids and it felt so much more meaningful than any other work I'd ever done. Once I realized I wanted to become a teacher, I enrolled in a graduate program at Christian Brothers University. I earned my masters in teaching there and then continued on to Union University where I earned my Education Specialist degree in educational leadership. I started my first year teaching while still working on my degree programs. From the start, I knew I wanted to work with middle school students and I knew I wanted to teach history. I have a passion for the subject and I believe I do a good job of sharing my enthusiasm for it with my students. It's always wonderful to hear a student tell me how much they enjoyed my class despite having never enjoyed history before. Currently, I teach 8th grade, but I also work closely with 6th graders during the summer. In addition, I sponsor a Mock Trial program for 9th-12th grade students. With that said, I feel comfortable working with the 6th to 12th grade age range. Teaching can be a calling and I feel incredibly fortunate to have realized that it is mine.