I've been teaching for 18 years. I've taught in Oklahoma, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Alabama. By having taught in various states and in different districts, I've had the advantage of taking with me the best of each experience, creating a more effective, well-rounded and diverse teacher.   With the different positions that I have held, I've had the unique opportunity to teach elementary - all subjects initially, but then becoming the grade level math teacher; middle school - from the academically challenged to the gifted; and also high school - where I taught the math inclusion classes as well as the algebra I and geometry students. Most recently, I was the Enrichment Specialist for Gadsden City Schools in Alabama. I've been the district math advisor, a teacher evaluator, the lead math teacher, and have presented at state and district conferences as well as to individual schools. I have written the language arts curriculum used by the entire school district. I enjoy sharing my ideas with other teachers and learning from them as well! While presenting At the Middle School Conference at Myrtle Beach a few years ago, the teachers in my session suggested that I sell the games that I had presented. They complained that their games would never look as nice as mine, and they didn't have time to make their own games. They proclaimed that teachers would buy them if I made them. Those comments caused me to think about marketing the games. Before changing my major to education, I was studying graphic design. By creating and designing games for the classroom, I have incorporated my two loves. Since that conference, I have been putting my ideas into action, adding to my game collection as a new idea comes to me. My philosophy is - "If you make learning fun...They will learn!" As an former tennis and basketball player, games have always been an important aspect in my life. As a teacher, I have implemented games into the classroom as often as possible. After years of training in Learning Styles, Cooperative Learning, and Multiple Intelligences, I have taken ideas and techniques learned and have created games to practice and review standards that I've taught in my classes. I've found that playing games in the classroom allows students much, much, more practice than they would have ever thought about completing with worksheets! My games motivate students to learn the content that I'm teaching. They know that there will be a game at some point to reinforce the skills taught. Using games that incorporate cooperative groups also encourages my students to help each other learn. I've found that often times peer teaching can be much more effective that teacher-lead instruction. The games are a powerful motivator. I am always amazed at the effects that my games have on student achievement. Inevitably, if a game is played prior to taking a test, my students score better. A cooperative team is a winning team!