Sabrina Joyner, Teacher Education Scholarship Winner, Special Summer 2011, Part B Session
The University of Scranton, in partnership with Bisk Education, Inc., proudly recognizes Sabrina Joyner – a teacher at Social Circle Elementary School in Social Circle, Georgia – as winner of the Bisk Foundation Teacher Education Scholarship for the Special Summer 2011, Part B session. The scholarship supports the professional development of outstanding teachers who are making a difference in the lives of their students.
Currently enrolled in The University of Scranton’s Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, Joyner is dedicated to creating excellence both inside and outside of her classroom. She is highly regarded by her administrators and her peers as a caring, knowledgeable and exceptional teacher, and as a friend who is often the person on staff to lead a monetary drive to support a co-worker in need or to recognize a colleague deserving of special recognition.
With her exceptional record of student achievement, excellent communication skills and leadership abilities, Joyner brings a thoughtful, mature approach to her profession, often providing support and guidance to new teachers at her school.
Not one to “toot her own horn,” Joyner says that she does what she does every day because, “I love children and because I want them to have opportunities that I didn’t necessarily have when I was a child.” Joyner wants her students to know that while some of them may think they don’t have what it takes to succeed in school, she grew up in a household without a lot of money and was the first person in her extended family to go to college. She recalls, “No one in my family even knew how to apply or what it would take. Regardless, I didn’t give up on the dream. Now, the next generation is receiving scholarships to colleges for academics and athletics.”
In the 21 years that she has been a teacher, Joyner has always taught in lower-income schools. She has helped educate former students who went on to become doctors, ministers, computer specialists, lawyers, mechanics, and yes, teachers. “I am proud to have had an opportunity to impact these students in furthering their careers. However, the most important contributions I have made are those that impacted the lives of my students.”
Joyner recalls one student, who announced on the first day of school that he didn’t like to learn anything. She played along, letting him know she understood but that maybe this school would be different. Every day for the first week of school, Joyner ended the day by telling him, “I’m sorry I made you learn today.” By Friday, his response was, “That’s okay, Mrs. J. The stuff I’ve been learning is good.”
Joyner’s outstanding qualities were rewarded recently by being selected as her school’s Teacher of the Year. She went on to the next level of competition to become the System Teacher of the Year.
The family of her student who told her that he didn’t want to learn was so appreciative of Joyner’s commitment that they asked if they could be the ones to write her recommendation letter for the Georgia Teacher of the Year application. “She, her husband and [her son] sat and wrote a beautiful recommendation, citing that [her son] had always hated school, but because of the year he spent in my class, he had fallen in love with learning. He no longer felt overwhelmed or resentful, intimidate or unheard… Of all the years, that year made the most difference in [his] attitude and life.”
Joyner gravitates to children who have a limited support system and commits herself to helping them succeed. “I work to give hope to their dreams,” she says. “These students are my job, but so much more than that, they are my joy! My life is richer because of them.”
Together with The University of Scranton, Bisk Education is proud to salute Sabrina Joyner – a true everyday hero who is making a difference through the gift of education!
