Debbie Sweat began her teaching career in Gulfport, Mississippi in August 2000. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Technology Education from the University of Southern Miss, her Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from William Carey University, and is currently taking classes working on her Doctor of Education Degree in Learning Design & Technology from the University of South Carolina.
Debbie moved to South Carolina with her husband, Wade, in June of 2020. She currently teaches Personal Finance and Fundamentals of Web Page Design & Development at Blythewood High in Blythewood, SC. She is co- advisor of Blythewood High School’s DECA chapter with over 95 members. She is an active member in ACTE, CSTA, CSTA SC, NBEA, and SCBEA.
Debbie is a Master Teacher of Personal Finance, Master Teacher of Economics, and Master Teacher of Entrepreneurship (all earned in MS) and is a member of Cohort 5 for the South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program. She is W!SE certified, ESB certified, IC3 certified, Microsoft Office Specialist certified, and Google Educator certified Levels 1 and Level 2.
Debbie is the proud mother of three grown children, Robert (wife Carolyn, son Michael), Amanda (husband Leslie, sons Levi and Noah), and Christian (fiancé Jackie); who sadly all still live in Mississippi. Debbie’s heart is owned by her perfect grandsons, Levi (July 2021), Michael (January 2022) and Noah (February 2024).
Music and Art integration can assist the educator in providing students a high quality and engaging education. Students love real world learning and for them that can mean for some of them learning through music can help the learner develop a deeper understanding of the identified learning material. Both presenters have numerous years in the field of education. David Breland is a music educator with experience in all grade levels in k-12 education. He has a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction as well as in Music Education. In addition to his job as a music educator he has participated in numerous plays and musicals. He also instructs students in individual learning sessions through Music and Arts. William Smyly is a Business Educator with a focus on Financial Education. William has taught various business courses throughout his career. He has an MBA and has his PBL and Online Teaching Endorsement. He is also a graduate of the SCFLMT program.
In the CTE field, educators need to be able to have uninterrupted and large amounts of instructional time to be able to get the information to the students. They need time to focus on the instruction and not lose time managing low level behaviors. This session will give them strategies that will help manage and diffuse behaviors that take away this valuable time. Teaching time goes up, and learning increases.
Relevance to the CTE field: This session aligns with the goals of Career and Technical Education (CTE) by providing strategies to expose students to various career pathways early in their education. By integrating career exploration into middle school classrooms, educators can help students make informed decisions about their future academic and career choices.
Value to Participants: Attendees will gain practical insights into how career exploration can be implemented effectively in the classroom using digital tools and interactive learning methods. Educators will leave with actionable strategies to engage students, foster career readiness, and leverage available resources to enhance learning experiences.
Presenter Knowledge and Experience: Lauren Duris brings extensive experience in STEM and career education, supporting educators in implementing career exploration tools. Jewel Moses, a seasoned career exploration teacher, has successfully integrated these strategies into her classroom, providing firsthand insights into their impact. Together, they offer a well-rounded perspective on career readiness in middle school education.
The topic will provide information and strategies for educators to build a learning culture through process-based thinking. The value to participants will help them tap into their creative and innovative side to create memorable learning experiences. Those experiences could help translate to their teaching pedagogy. I have been an educator for 14 years: four years as a teacher and two and a half years as a trainer/facilitator.
