Inspiring Elementary Engineering
Bashaw Elementary School
About Ms. Cox
Teaching is my passion and I love a new adventure. I was privileged to have had the opportunity to open the IE2 (Inspiring Elementary Engineering) lab at Bashaw in 2015. It was one the school's first steps in becoming a STEAM school. I have been teaching since 1988 in grades Pre-K to 5th and am convinced each year that I have chosen the right career path. New teaching methods interest me as I enjoy any opportunities that offer new teaching strategies. For this reason, I take advantage of many different learning opportunities where I can enhance my teaching. One summer, I took an excellent in-service on Inspiring Engineering in Elementary Students and loved trying the activities in my class. I have been thrilled to put that knowledge to use on a daily basis at Bashaw.
Like my parents, I was born and raised in Bradenton and am a product of Manatee County schools. I graduated from Manatee High School and went on to SCF, then called Manatee Junior College. I graduated from Troy State University (Alabama) with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Fulfilling a goal to further my education, I received both my Masters and Doctorate degrees from Nova Southeastern University. Throughout high school and into adulthood, I found great fulfillment through volunteering and have served through organizations such as Anchor Club, Circle K, Junior League, Healthy Start Coalition and several churches. It was through these volunteer opportunities that I discovered that working with children came naturally to me and was something that I enjoy.
My immediate family is local so I enjoy seeing them often. In fact, my mom is a retired reading teacher and my sister presently teaches reading. I have a 19-year-old son who attends the University of Florida and is working to gain a degree in Environmental Science. He works as an officer in GRIP, an organization at UF that modifies game controllers for use by people who function with one hand or arm.
Touring the WWII planes. It was evident that precise Engineering was used to build them. They are still flying today.
The Cardiff Bay Barrage ( boat lock) lies across the mouth of Cardiff Bay, Wales. It was one of the largest civil engineering projects in Europe during the 1990s.
I enjoy eating, yoga, music, theater and travel. Traveling to other countries and learning about diffeent cultures is something I do as often as possible. I also take cruises and visit the local theme parks as often as possible. I love roller coasters and enjoy teaching the physics of them in my class! Favorite places that I have visited include Scotland, Alaska and New York, where I loved the Broadway shows. I enjoy connecting with and learning about all the students and families in the school. I especially love to educate the students about careers that are available to them in technology and engineering if they work hard in school.
The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.