About+Mr.+Branch

[[image:DSCF8433.jpg width="216" height="179"]] [|Click here for Mr. Branch's Glogster scrapbook.]
__**State of North Carolina Teaching License**__
 * Reading (K-12)
 * Middle Grades Language Arts (6-9)
 * Middle Grades Social Studies (6-9)

__**Commonwealth of Virginia Teaching License**__ Postgraduate Professional License
 * Middle Education - Grades 6 - 8
 * Reading Specialist

__**Education**__ East Carolina University
 * B.S. in Middle Grades Education with concentrations in Language Arts and Social Studies

Liberty University
 * MEd. Reading Specialist
 * MAR Master of Arts in Religion

__**Professional Memberships**__
 * International Reading Association (IRA)
 * Tar River Reading Council
 * Professional Educators of North Carolina (PENC)

//**Molder of Dreams**//

//Molder of Dreams//, by Guy Doud, is one book that encouraged me to consider a career in education. Guy Doud’s story was truly inspiring to me because he was an ordinary person who influenced students in a powerful way. Guy suffered greatly from low self-esteem and weight issues during adolescence, so he truly empathized with the stresses and pressures on students. The book includes many stories from Guy’s own classroom experiences. While he was named the 1986 national teacher of the year, what impressed me most was his compassion for his students. Guy described his students as unique individuals for whom he deeply cared. He was not only interested in their academic performance, but he was just as interested in encouraging them through their personal struggles. As Guy related how certain teachers had really encouraged him to press on, I realized the awesome responsibility that teachers have in molding and encouraging the next generation of leaders.