Hello, my name is Bronwyn Grant, and I have been teaching in the Alternative Program for twenty-five years. My undergraduate degree is in music from Converse College, and I put myself through college importing with symphonies in a three state area. Although I loved music, I discovered that I did NOT love the “business” of music at all, so I decided to pursue my other loves, reading, writing, and teaching.
I taught at Mauldin High School for two years and was the assistant debate coach, also. During this time, I hated how I saw students "falling through the cracks" and became dedicated to specializing in the needs of at-risk students. I decided that I wanted to attain some "mad skills" and had the opportunity to get some by helping to rehabilitate a college campus that was truly out of control.
While obtaining my Masters degrees in English and education at Converse, I worked at another area college and was an assistant dean in charge of Wellness, Residence Life, and Student Activities. Our team used cognitive behavioral modification to set the conditions for these college students to transform a college campus from a place students ran from to a place where they stayed and flourished. I use the cognitive behavioral modification skills I learned while transforming that campus every day in the Alternative Program. These skills also helped me create a cognitive behavioral modification program that began in my classroom and has spread to all three middle school alternative programs in the district. I also have become a specialist in setting the conditions for optimal literacy and language acquisition. In addition, I have also completed the coursework for another Masters degree in Divergent Learning at Columbia College which has been invaluable when working with my alternative students. I have also been a Love and Logic facilitator for over 15 years, working with hundreds of teachers, parents (of at-risk and special needs students), guidance counselors, and family members.
The Love and Logic Institute provides "Positive parenting and teaching techniques to build healthy relationships with kids." I have seen people who deeply learn and USE Love and Logic research and techniques transform their relationships with and the lives of at-risk and strong-willed young people.
Bonds M.S.A.P. was my first teaching job after earning my Masters degree, and this is my sixth year teaching at West Greenville M.S.A.P. I LOVE coming to work each day to work with my students. Replicated research for about the past 30 years concludes that students need lots of choices to allow them to be in charge of their own learning; I do my best to let students be responsible and in charge of themselves and their decisions. Also, I do my best to treat students in my classes more like young adults at work, so that work becomes about the JOB and not so personal or threatening. This year, all three alternative sites are using the Cognitive Behavioral Modification Program that I have created, written, and developed over the past 15 years. My hope is that all teachers become trauma informed and able to set the conditions necessary for each student to change his own brain chemistry, which truly changes lives.