A Passion for Teaching
Meredith Gibbs has touched the lives of each of our TCS students through her engaging and interactive creative thinking class, Compass. “In Compass, I ask the students to embrace challenge,” Meredith says. “Our challenges are always thinking skills such as logic, reasoning, quick thinking, listening, and creative play. This year, I’m also thoroughly enjoying teaching a group of 3rd and 4th grade students 5th grade math! It’s an exciting part of my day for sure!”
Meredith grew up in Orlando, attended college in Raleigh, NC, and then earned her teaching degree at UCF. “I met my husband when I wanted to attempt a swing dance flip and needed a really strong guy to try it,” she smiles. She and her husband, Jason, have twin children, Josh and Lily, who are both in 4th grade at TCS. “My family loves the outdoors. Some of our favorite activities are paddle boarding, mountain biking, hiking and identifying ‘specimens’ we find in the wild.”
“I love teaching at TCS,” she says. “I feel like The Christ School is a place with a Christ-led vision, a school with passion, and a place for our students to experience growth and love. My favorite things about my job at TCS are the cheers when I tell my students what challenge I’m giving their class that week! My favorite part of the day is walking to chapel and getting tons of hugs from my students.”
“TCS is a wonderful place for my children because I know that they are being taught to be lifelong learners,” she says. “Both Josh and Lily have been blessed with teachers who love to teach and this makes them excited to learn. They are learning problem solving skills, how to communicate effectively, and how to think creatively. They are learning that God is a part of all of life, not just during church. This knowledge will help both in their personal and professional lives.”
Meredith shares one of her favorite Bible verses:
“Your Majesty,” he said, “this Philistine shouldn’t turn us into cowards. I’ll go out and fight him myself.” – 1 Samuel 17:32
“As my students know, I have the bust of David statue in my room,” Meredith says. “It represents that moment when David made that decision. He was doing his job, though minor, a necessary job. He saw a need that needed to be met. He was small and young but courageous. He was picked on by larger peers for asking questions. He rose to the challenge. He believed in himself and the God who came before him. He was successful. There isn’t a much better story of Growth Mindset than that!”
Meredith adds, “What an amazing start to the year with Mr. Farrant at the wheel!”