CULLOWHEE (April 1, 2015)—James Phillips thought he was just talking about the ups and downs of being a first year teacher with his mother Dorcas. He learned later, to his delight, that he was speaking to a future colleague in education.
The educational journey of mother and son continued recently when Dorcas attended “Success from the Start: Foundational Skills for Beginning Teachers” March 16–19 in Cullowhee at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, a recognized national leader in professional development for teachers. It all began with talks when James was beginning his education career.
Phillips, the principal at Swain West Elementary, started his teaching career in 1999 in Swain County in the Alternative Program. The conversations with his mother, Dorcas, who was helping his father at the family auto body shop, began as he found his way as a teacher.
“The Alternative Program was a challenge for me. I dealt with troubled students every day,” Phillips said. “I learned so many valuable things from those students, the most important was the value of developing close relationships with all my students regardless of how difficult they were. I talked to my mom frequently that first year and shared my struggles and successes. I did not realize it was having an impact on her. It was stirring something that caught fire in her.”
First, the talks sparked Dorcas to volunteer in schools, and then work as a teacher assistant.
“I began to encourage her to go back to school and become a teacher,” James said.
Dorcas was hesitant, but just as she had assured James and his sister they could achieve anything with hard work, James reminded his mom that she could do it, too.
It began to happen. Dorcas was a model student with good grades in the early childhood associates degree program at Tri-County Community College. About that time James was working on his Masters Degree in School Administration through Western Carolina University in 2005. When he finished in 2008 and accepted an assistant principal position at Swain Middle School in 2009, Dorcas voiced a desire to have her own classroom. She turned the idea into reality by showing the strong work ethic the entire family models and earning a degree at WCU.
“At first I told James, I’m too old. I can’t do that, and he said ‘no you are never too old to learn,’” Dorcas Phillips said.
Her son was right and after almost three years as a kindergarten teacher at Andrews Elementary School in the Cherokee County School system. Dorcas knows she made the right career and life choice.
“I love teaching,” she said. “It is my passion. It is so important when kids are young to give them a firm foundation in reading, writing and math they can build on. I have a passion for making my kids the best they can be and ready for first grade. I love it when parents come back and tell me thank you for being a tough teacher and instilling the love and desire to learn. I tell them I’m just doing my job.”
Phillips felt a desire to grow in knowledge and teaching skills by attending NCCAT. The program instructor, Alton Ballance, said Dorcas surprised fellow participants with the change from her past career in an auto body shop to teaching, and impressed them with her drive to be an educator.
“She really puts everything she has into her teaching and her students, and it shows,” Ballance said. “You could tell, hearing her talk about them, that she cares deeply about her students.”
Phillips can’t wait to share some new strategies on behavior issues and curriculum planning she learned while at NCCAT. And, as always, she and her son talked about the trip.
“James is so proud,” said a smiling Dorcas. “He is constantly calling and encouraging me. I really was not sure about coming to NCCAT, but he said ‘yes, you should—it is a great experience for teachers.’ He has been such a great inspiration. My daughter, husband and he have been great blessings to me.”
James Phillips says his mother and father have been a great inspiration to him and his sister and he treasures the conversations with his mom. They continue to share the special bond that comes with being an educator.
“I remember in 2013 when she transitioned into her kindergarten classroom,” James said. “Mom was so excited to have her own classroom and has worked very hard to keep improving. I have encouraged her to be herself with her students and work hard on relationships. I believe she keeps growing as a teacher because she is a life-long learner. I am very proud of her.”