Suzanne’s Path to Teaching in South Carolina

What began as a support role in a school office eventually led Suzanne Crisp to where she was meant to be: teaching in South Carolina. Before becoming a teacher, Suzanne worked as a high school secretary. “I loved interacting with the students and helping them,” she shares. “So I thought I would enjoy teaching in my own classroom.” Today, she’s leading English Language Arts at Gaffney High School.

A Career Built on Connection

Suzanne’s classroom is shaped by years of working with young people. While in high school, she worked in a daycare. During college, she supported an after-school program. Those roles taught her how to adapt, how to listen, and how to lead with compassion.

“I’ve learned to modify and adapt when problems occur,” she says. “But more importantly, I’ve learned to care for students as individuals.”

That care is the heartbeat of her teaching. She doesn’t judge students by their past. Instead, she believes in their potential. “I’ve had some of the most wonderful students who were once labeled ‘bad’ or ‘lazy,’” she explains. “With support and motivation, they’ve excelled beyond belief.”

A Moment to Remember

One of Suzanne’s favorite memories came while teaching her first English II course, which includes a required end-of-course exam. Her students worked hard all year, and their results reflected it.

“They saw their efforts come to fruition,” she says. “It brought so much joy—to them and to me.”

Moments like these affirm her choice to step into teaching.

Serving the Community, Not Just the Classroom

Suzanne’s dedication goes beyond school hours. She serves on the Gaffney High School Improvement Council and helps organize community events designed to support and welcome Multilingual Learner (MLL) families.

In 2024, she was honored as Distinguished Literacy Teacher of the Year at Gaffney High School in Cherokee County. She also received the Bright Ideas Grant from Broad River Electric Cooperative to build a multilingual reading center for her students, further strengthening her commitment to teaching with care and innovation.

Advice for Aspiring Career-Changers

To others thinking about a switch to teaching, Suzanne is honest and hopeful:
“Teaching requires lots of work. But if you love children and enjoy seeing them excel, teaching is for you. Don’t be afraid to enter a classroom of your own—you will not be disappointed by the results.”

Suzanne is one of many career-changers proving that teaching in South Carolina is both accessible and life-changing. She earned her certification through American Board, turning her passion for student support into a full-time teaching career.

Suzanne details, “Without American Board, I wouldn’t be the educator I am today. Although I originally planned to be a teacher, I changed my college major—but I never let go of my dream of having my own classroom. While pregnant with my first child, I enrolled in American Board and found the flexibility and clarity of the program exactly what I needed. It was easy to navigate, and I was able to pass both of my exams and earn my teaching certificate. Today, I’m a graduate student and an English teacher of ELLs. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity American Board provided to launch my career in education.”

Your Community to the Classroom

Suzanne’s story is a powerful reminder that schools thrive when people from the community bring their heart and experience into the classroom. If you want to make a lasting impact on education in your community, there’s no better place to start than the classroom. American Board offers an affordable, flexible path to teacher certification for adults with a bachelor’s degree. You don’t need to go back to school or take on student loans. The teacher certification program is entirely online and self-paced, so you can start when you’re ready. Thousands have already made the switch to teaching. Learn more today.

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025

Suzanne has been featured as one of four program graduates who truly embody the theme From the Community to the Classroom. Meet the other featured graduates below.

• Kyle Smith, a Missouri educator who transitioned to teaching after working a variety of jobs in the business sector.
• Mariccia Spearman-Kaki transitioned from the health sector to new teacher, to local Teacher of the Year.
• Steven Ness, 2024 American Board Teacher Appreciation Week Scholarship recipient details the work he’s doing since receiving his certification.

Teaching in South Carolina: FAQs

• What is required to teach in South Carolina? Requirements for teaching in South Carolina are truly streamlined. You must 1. hold a degree in any subject and 2. pass a background check. Learn more here.
• Are teachers in demand in South Carolina? Yes! Teachers are needed in South Carolina. In fact, more than 1,500 teaching positions were still available at the start of the past school year, up nearly 10 percent from the previous year. Meaning, it’s never been easier to secure a teaching position in South Carolina.
• Can you teach in South Carolina without a teaching degree? Yes, alternative certification is approved by the South Carolina Department of Education. It’s a common route to the classroom for career changers in the state.

*Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.