ALUMNI UPDATETaylor McCarthyTaylor McCarthy is a kindergartenteacher at Hollis Academy in Judson,South Carolina, a school in theGreenville County School District.She is an alumna of the College ofEducation’s early childhood educationprogram, and she understands theimportance of meeting each studentwhere they are, whether they arenative South Carolinians or studentswho are newcomers to the state–or theEnglish language.When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?I really was not the kid that grew up knowing they wanted to be ateacher. I didn’t teach my stuffed animals; that wasn’t really my story. Ijust really liked kids, and it felt like the next step was to try education. Iwas a kid in a candy shop choosing college because they all looked funand I wanted to go to all of them, but when I visited Clemson, somethingspoke to me. I knew that this was it, and I just had a peace about it.Education kind of chose me, honestly. When I started, I didn’t knowthat I would still be here 12 years later, and I couldn’t imagine doingsomething different.What is the thing you love about your job the most?The thing I love most about my job is the relationships that I build withkids in my class. We come up with class expectations–a class contract–about what we want or expect from the year. Everybody that’s ever beenin my class knows that our class is a family and that extends beyond thetime that you’re in my class.The students from my first year of teaching are going to be seniorsthis year, which is pretty cool. The class I had while student teachinggraduated last year. I am still in touch with lots of them. I got to go toa couple of graduations last year and still plan on going to a couple ofgraduations this year. I’m going to a basketball game tomorrow for oneof my previous students who’s in high school and is a senior on theteam. Those relationships are really valuable to me and the thing that Ilove most about being a teacher.“I hosted a practicum student fromClemson last year, and it was sucha wonderful experience. I reallyenjoyed getting to shift my role inthe classroom from teacher to theone facilitating for the practicumteacher. [The student] was also opento feedback and had this openness toany opportunity for growth. It was awonderful thing to see in somebodythat’s entering the field because thisis a field that is ever-changing, andyou need to be open to feedback sothat you can grow as an educator.”2024 Annual Report | 20
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