Karen Hybner

Growing up in the rural areas of Southern Charles County, MD proved to spark my interest in science. With forest regions, the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay and numerous wildlife preserves surrounding my home I was destined to follow my curiosities in regards to life sciences. When I entered the 6th grade at General Smallwood Middle School, my favorite teacher, Mrs. Minnich, changed my life. She stirred something inside me that accelerated my desire to learn. Mrs. Minnich also recognized I had a love to teach others about the things I had learned. Before long, I was contemplating the path to teaching as a career.

My family was not wealthy and my desire for higher education diminished as I grew older. By the time I graduated from high school I was no longer considering a college education, but settled for a position with a large company. A few years later, I was blessed with a beautiful daughter who compelled me to seek a better life.

After marriage, 4 children and a move across the country I began attending a community college and ultimately transferred to WGU after several additional moves. WGU afforded me the opportunity to continue my education no matter where I was residing or what I was doing with my children. This proved to further my love of learning and teaching others that Mrs. Minnich had brought to light so many years earlier.

Due to our many moves we decided to keep our children at home and began home schooling. From teaching my youngest son to read to facilitating the chemistry classes for my twin sons, I was fascinated by the way each child learned differently. This motivated me to continue seeking my degree in teaching whether I taught at home or in an outside institution of education.

I still love to learn and this love affects my teaching. No matter what grade I am working with, I seem to find something to be excited about. This excitement is passed on to the students and they respond with higher engagement. I recognize the need to continue professional development to stay current on content or to investigate better class management techniques, but nothing compares to the experience gained in the classroom.

I plan to continue my education while my children are still home. We enjoy the outdoors with our horses and scouting and we also love to takes trips together. Our family is planning a trip to France in a few years to travel The Way of Saint James which is 500 miles and ends