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Dr. Branyon spent 23 years living and teaching in Kenya. Her love for Kenya and the people of Africa is evident in the way she brings an appreciation for diverse nationalities to class. She has supported the work on an orphanage in Kenya and established an early-childhood education program on the campus. Her love for the children of Kenya led her to foster three former street children in the country. Dr. Branyon has led a student team to Kenya to work with the Baptist Children's Center by providing a camp program for their 48 children. She plans to take teacher candidates and colleagues to Kenya in May 2006 in order to experience and learn from the rich and varied cultures in the country.
I believe that one of the highest callings in this life, beyond being a parent, is teaching. A teacher has a powerful responsibility to help students gain the confidence to learn. I believe my greatest challenge is to make a personal connection with each student and to give each one the encouragement to try his or her best. At the very center of my belief is a deep sense of self-efficacy. Understanding that God has endowed each student with unique gifts and talents, my goal is to unlock those possibilities and dreams.
A teacher's faith in a student is so crucial that I often repeat a quote that I once read, "My teacher believed I was better than I was, so I was."