Mary Elizabeth Finigan

What are the most important tenets of your educational philosophy? Give examples of how these drive your classroom practice.

I drive my classroom with respect and exploration.

Through at Quantum Learning workshop, court advantage

I am spending more time on discipline and I

Working with students seems to get more work and cooperation, I genuinely care about my students, I stress over the lack of care and lack of importance placed on education.

What attracts and equips you to teach at Houston Christian, a college-preparatory Christian school?

By all information I have reviewed, Houston Christian is different. After starting the application the first time, I was uncomfortable with the spiritual references and faith-based questions. I have spent 21 years in public high school keeping God out of the classroom or at least minimizing His ultimate Every year the rigor decreases, the expectations are lowered and I consider it a good day if I make it through the day without some using curse words directed at me. There is something wrong with the disrespect and apathetic students I have. In 1991, I began working with teenagers because I wanted to mold and form our future. As those years slipped by, things changed. Now, I hope not to see my school or students on the news. I spend my time dealing with discipline and XXX . After 8 years at a Title I school, I struggle with what is changing in the public education system. We are sent mixed signals on how to work with economically disadvantaged students, 86%. We pride ourselves by emphasizing our college readiness status

Describe your spiritual background, faith and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus is my lord and savior.

I grew up Presbyterian. With a pastor for a Grandpa, we went to church every Sunday.

After leaving for college, I attended church less frequently, with my Catholic dorm mate. As I became an adult and responsible for myself, I strayed and became a work-a-holic. I never wavered on my beliefs, but did not realize the full importance of being an active Christian.

When I relocated to Houston, to be closer to my mom (who had recently lost my dad to Pancreatic Cancer), I became a regular at Heritage Presbyterian. My sister and her family were founding members and very quickly my mother became a superstar at Heritage, as Director of Christian Education. I would work VBS and other activities that helped my mother’s job easier.

Just as I was settling in, Heritage encountered a spiritual attack by our pastor. Ultimately, the pastor left with his people and Heritage suffered.

I soon met my husband and spent most of Heritage’s troubled times at his church. As Heritage fell apart, Glad Tidings was a rock in his life and they accepted me. As the years went on, we spent special Sundays at Heritage and the rest of our time at Glad Tidings. Pastor Calvin Durham preached the word. His straight-forward relationship with God and the word was unlike I had experienced. And a few years ago, Calvin Durham stepped down relinquishing the pulpit to his son, John. My family slowly drifted away, we looked for a new church home and use Heritage as a home base. We raise our daughter with the Word and