{"id":2711,"date":"2025-05-07T14:22:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/?p=2711"},"modified":"2025-10-21T17:40:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T17:40:39","slug":"suzannes-path-to-teaching-in-south-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/suzannes-path-to-teaching-in-south-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"Suzanne\u2019s Path to Teaching in South Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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. \u201cI loved interacting with the students and helping them,\u201d she shares. \u201cSo I thought I would enjoy teaching in my own classroom.\u201d Today, she\u2019s leading English Language Arts at Gaffney High School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Career Built on Connection<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Suzanne\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve learned to modify and adapt when problems occur,\u201d she says. \u201cBut more importantly, I\u2019ve learned to care for students as individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That care is the heartbeat of her teaching. She doesn\u2019t judge students by their past. Instead, she believes in their potential. \u201cI\u2019ve had some of the most wonderful students who were once labeled \u2018bad\u2019 or \u2018lazy,\u2019\u201d she explains. \u201cWith support and motivation, they\u2019ve excelled beyond belief.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Moment to Remember<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of Suzanne\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey saw their efforts come to fruition,\u201d she says. \u201cIt brought so much joy\u2014to them and to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moments like these affirm her choice to step into teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serving the Community, Not Just the Classroom<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Suzanne\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advice for Aspiring Career-Changers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To others thinking about a switch to teaching, Suzanne is honest and hopeful:
\u201cTeaching requires lots of work. But if you love children and enjoy seeing them excel, teaching is for you. Don\u2019t be afraid to enter a classroom of your own\u2014you will not be disappointed by the results.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Suzanne details, “Without American Board, I wouldn\u2019t be the educator I am today. Although I originally planned to be a teacher, I changed my college major\u2014but 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\u2019m a graduate student and an English teacher of ELLs. I\u2019m incredibly thankful for the opportunity American Board provided to launch my career in education.”<\/p>\n\n\n

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South Carolina teacher Suzanne Crisp, American Board Graduate<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Your Community to the Classroom<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Suzanne\u2019s 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\u2019s no better place to start than the classroom. American Board offers an affordable, flexible path to teacher certification for adults with a bachelor\u2019s degree. You don\u2019t 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\u2019re ready. Thousands have already made the switch to teaching. Learn more today.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Suzanne has been featured as one of four program graduates who truly embody the theme From the Community to the Classroom<\/a>. Meet the other featured graduates below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n