I am a proud product of Decatur Public Schools where I attended schools from Pre-K through High School. I attended and graduated from Millikin University in 2004 when I accepted my first teaching position. It brings me great joy to serve the families in the community that I so proudly still call home.  In my 16 years of teaching, I have taught every grade from 2nd - 8th grade. I had the opportunity to spend a year as an Instructional Technology Coach for the Professional Development Institute and through that experience, I learned that my passion remained in the classroom working directly alongside students and their families. 

 I believe that providing my students with a peaceful, carefully prepared environment, mutual respect, and choice within limits fosters a strong community. In my experience, a strong community lends itself to the very meaningful work of the development of the whole child. 

Public Montessori provided my family with a unique opportunity to explore interests from a whole world approach fostering rigorous, self-motived learning. My youngest son is currently a 6th grader here at Montessori Academy.  I have two older children, a son that is a recent college graduate, and a daughter attending Illinois State University. Both of them Montessori graduates. 

 ttjoyner@dps61.org

1(802) 731-1497