A Brief glimpse into life beyond the classroom
My driver's license states that I am Samantha Culpepper, although I've answered to many other titles in my lifetime. From the embarrassing childhood nicknames to the most humbling first baby attempts at "Mom," my names have honored and adorned me. One of my favorite monikers has always been "Mrs."
I became an English teacher, because I think education is the way to better this world. I especially value the humanities, because they teach us how to be, well, humans. For me, English is more than just a way to effectively communicate - it's about connecting to one another and gaining a deeper understanding of this world. Reading, writing, critical thinking, analyzing texts, rhetoric... these are all important skills to master in order to be informed and competent global citizens. All of these skills can be obtained through a quality and challenging education.
I couldn't be a "Mrs." without a "Mr.", and I certainly have a great partner to share life with. Mr. Culpepper and I foster great mutual respect and deep love for one another. We also happen to have plenty of fun together. Life is rarely easy, but with him, it is always bearable.
Mr. Culpepper and I liked each other (and ourselves) so much, we decided we needed to do our part to create other humans who share our same values. Our son, Cedar, is almost five. He is the most hilarious and adventurous spirit who graces us with laughter and creativity every day. He also happens to be the most sensitive and loving older brother in the world. His baby sister, Sylvan, is a joyful, goofy thing who knows no limits and grooves to her baby nursery rhymes. These two creatures open my heart in ways that words fail to describe. Being a mother has taught me more about being a teacher than any of my college courses ever could.
The Culpepper clan is also home to a beautiful, smart, friendly dog of questionable pedigree. Her name is Sage, and she is my jogging partner, although she has slowed down a bit in her old age. I've never had a better companion in a dog, and I don't know if I'll ever get to experience this special bond with another canine again.
Finally, we have Sheldon. He is a Maine Coon cat with soft orange fur, and he may have an issue with depth perception. If you catch him at just the right moment, you will surely see him run into a large piece of furniture straight-on or sail over the top of the corner of the bed he was trying to jump onto. Sheldon allows Sylvan to ferociously "pet" him with little to no complaint, and he loves to snuggle in our bed with us at night. He's a good cat and offers hours of endless amusement.
We love being outdoors. Our adventurous lifestyle had to soften a bit after we had children, but they both enjoy hiking, camping, and soaking up those warm sun rays just like my husband and I do. Sylvan rides in the baby backpack, and Cedar is old enough now to walk on shorter hikes. We take advantage of the Razorback Greenway and all of the lakes. Of course, we also frequent The Amazeum, and one of my very favorite places to go is Crystal Bridges. Northwest Arkansas is an incredible place to raise an active and healthy family.
I enjoy reading great books, walking at night, attending a regular spin class, listening to NPR, jogging, kayaking, and swimming. Right now, my family is eagerly watching The Great British Baking Show on Netflix when we aren't watching various children's shows. (My son's favorite series is Goosebumps, and I adored those books growing up, so it's quite neat to share that with him.) My favorite sports teams are the OKC Thunder and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. I don't have deep ties to a baseball team, but I am proud of the Cubs for finally winning the world series.
As you can see, my cup overflows. No matter what name you call me, that piece is only ever a small portion of the whole human I am. I am a mother, a wife, a teacher, a reader, a part-time jogger, an appreciator of balance and justice, a fervent advocate for the earth, a La Croix aficionado, and many others. All of those pieces work together so intricately and complexly that you cannot detangle one strand from the intertwined mass that makes up my being. Regardless of the one name I hear at any given moment of the day, I am as much a mom as I am a wife as I am a teacher, and I am humbled to be addressed as any.
I became an English teacher, because I think education is the way to better this world. I especially value the humanities, because they teach us how to be, well, humans. For me, English is more than just a way to effectively communicate - it's about connecting to one another and gaining a deeper understanding of this world. Reading, writing, critical thinking, analyzing texts, rhetoric... these are all important skills to master in order to be informed and competent global citizens. All of these skills can be obtained through a quality and challenging education.
I couldn't be a "Mrs." without a "Mr.", and I certainly have a great partner to share life with. Mr. Culpepper and I foster great mutual respect and deep love for one another. We also happen to have plenty of fun together. Life is rarely easy, but with him, it is always bearable.
Mr. Culpepper and I liked each other (and ourselves) so much, we decided we needed to do our part to create other humans who share our same values. Our son, Cedar, is almost five. He is the most hilarious and adventurous spirit who graces us with laughter and creativity every day. He also happens to be the most sensitive and loving older brother in the world. His baby sister, Sylvan, is a joyful, goofy thing who knows no limits and grooves to her baby nursery rhymes. These two creatures open my heart in ways that words fail to describe. Being a mother has taught me more about being a teacher than any of my college courses ever could.
The Culpepper clan is also home to a beautiful, smart, friendly dog of questionable pedigree. Her name is Sage, and she is my jogging partner, although she has slowed down a bit in her old age. I've never had a better companion in a dog, and I don't know if I'll ever get to experience this special bond with another canine again.
Finally, we have Sheldon. He is a Maine Coon cat with soft orange fur, and he may have an issue with depth perception. If you catch him at just the right moment, you will surely see him run into a large piece of furniture straight-on or sail over the top of the corner of the bed he was trying to jump onto. Sheldon allows Sylvan to ferociously "pet" him with little to no complaint, and he loves to snuggle in our bed with us at night. He's a good cat and offers hours of endless amusement.
We love being outdoors. Our adventurous lifestyle had to soften a bit after we had children, but they both enjoy hiking, camping, and soaking up those warm sun rays just like my husband and I do. Sylvan rides in the baby backpack, and Cedar is old enough now to walk on shorter hikes. We take advantage of the Razorback Greenway and all of the lakes. Of course, we also frequent The Amazeum, and one of my very favorite places to go is Crystal Bridges. Northwest Arkansas is an incredible place to raise an active and healthy family.
I enjoy reading great books, walking at night, attending a regular spin class, listening to NPR, jogging, kayaking, and swimming. Right now, my family is eagerly watching The Great British Baking Show on Netflix when we aren't watching various children's shows. (My son's favorite series is Goosebumps, and I adored those books growing up, so it's quite neat to share that with him.) My favorite sports teams are the OKC Thunder and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. I don't have deep ties to a baseball team, but I am proud of the Cubs for finally winning the world series.
As you can see, my cup overflows. No matter what name you call me, that piece is only ever a small portion of the whole human I am. I am a mother, a wife, a teacher, a reader, a part-time jogger, an appreciator of balance and justice, a fervent advocate for the earth, a La Croix aficionado, and many others. All of those pieces work together so intricately and complexly that you cannot detangle one strand from the intertwined mass that makes up my being. Regardless of the one name I hear at any given moment of the day, I am as much a mom as I am a wife as I am a teacher, and I am humbled to be addressed as any.