On August 27, 1948, I became the first-born of Bill and Eileen Tyre. After being nurtured for two years, my sister, Linda was born. She became my first student and I was committed to teaching her everything that I knew. My years at home held many opportunities to use my desire to teach including children's classes at church. As I approached high school, I was determined to be a teacher some day. During high school and college, I was able to work in a school setting as a teacher's aide in the afternoons and during the summer. I was educated at St. John's River Junior College and Florida State University. After graduating from college, I was hired at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida as a first grade teacher and later transferred to kindergarten. The students at Tyndall Elementary were usually there about two years and then were transferred to another base. I found the students experienced in world travel offered a new demension to our classes. After two years at Tyndall Elementary, I was married and we moved to Savannah, Georgia. I immediately got a job at Barnard Street School as a first grade teacher. This experience in an all black school where they had integrated the faculty gave me an excellent opportunity to teach a diversified population. After two years teaching first grade, I took a sabbatical to be with my two children while they were young. As they entered school, I reentered the work force to work at Philadelphia Christian School for 9 years. The first year, I taught kindergarten and then moved to high school to teach english and history. When we moved our daughter to Stone Mountain Christian, I decided to teach where she went to school. I taught first grade for two years and then moved to the high school to teach english for one year. After spending one year to take care of our chronically ill son, I returned to teaching and taught a Pre-K class through Americare at Smith-Kline Laboratories. This was a wonderful opportunity with the center next to the parent's workplace. The parents were able to visit their children during the day. Due to the distance that I traveled to work, I sought a job closer to home and started teaching first grade at Loganville Primary.

I had wanted to work on my master's degree but due to either lack of funds or time the opportunity was not available. Two years ago, I was able to enter graduate school at UGA and begin my master's. It has been a challenge for me to work full time and to go to school but I have found the professors helpful and willing to assist in any way. At the end of school last year, I was able to interview for a media specialist position at the elementary school where our students attend after the primary school. Being offered the job was a dream come true for me. I have learned so much this last year and was able to put my newly acquired knowledge to work.

As far as future plans, I will continue to work on my technology skills. I feel that this is an area that I can improve and I will also work to take advantage of technology classes in my county and at the ETTC at UGA.