My name is Mr. Erskine and I believe a real education can help an individual, regardless of their situation, improve their lot in life. Education is not a competition; it is a mission. Just as iron sharpens iron, a real education takes place within a learning community and I want to be a part of the beloved community of stake holders who have the learning of students as their main focus. All my life I have wanted to be a Social Studies teacher and that pursuit has taken me to Emory University in which I obtained my B.A. in Political Science. While there I was able to study at Oxford University in England as well as learn in depth about the Mayan Empire while visiting Guatemala and Honduras. In addition, I was able to obtain a M. Ed from Georgia State University and my Ed.S from Mercer University. I am entering my 5th year at Midtown Highschool, however before Midtown I taught for 7 years in Dekalb County and 11 years with Gwinnett County. During my time in Dekalb and Gwinnett County I was able to participate in Fulbright Programs which allowed me to teach in West Africa as well as study the Indian Ocean trade route in East Africa. I am always looking for opportunities to learn so I can improve my knowledge base, inject new life into a traditional curriculum and excite students about learning history. As a student of my profession, I have also been able to take advantage of grants from the National Endowment of Humanities in which content and pedagogy were the focus. The way content is delivered is just as important as the quality of the content itself. Secondary sources such as textbooks often don’t tell the whole story. As a student of history, I am always looking for opportunities to build my capacity and for source materials with which to create inquiry based lessons so history can come alive for my students. During the 2023-2024 academic school term I will be teaching AP European History, Economics and Ethnic Studies. For the most part high school students live in a magical place where just about anything is possible. Most have not been jaded by life’s disappointments and dream killers. Meaningful learning for these scholars happens in special places but does not need to happen under pristine conditions. It can happen on a field trip, in a dusty old building or alone experiencing firsthand primary sources or case studies. True learning takes place when content meets heart. A good teacher understands this and uses this ‘magical place’ to not only make learning enjoyable but meaningful and relevant.