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Personal 
My name is Chris Porter and I am originally from Addison, Alabama.  After graduating from Addison High school in 1999, I moved to Florence and attended the University of North Alabama.  During my enrollment at UNA, I played the trumpet in the "Pride of Dixie Marching Band" and the French horn in the Concert Band.  I personally enjoy hiking.  I am married to Christina Porter.  We have a 19-year-old son, Connor, that keeps us busy. In our spare time we enjoy fishing, swimming and boating.    My family and I are huge Auburn fans and enjoy watching as many football games as possible.  God has truly blessed me with the opportunity to work at Muscle Shoals Middle School for the past 18 years with a wonderful group of teachers that I have come to call family.  I know it is going to be a great year!  Go Trojans! 

Professional  
Teaching has been the profession that I desired to pursue as early as fifth grade.  Mrs. Dale Martin, my fifth grade teacher, influenced my life through not only her academic instruction, but also how she shared emotions and truly cared for her students.  Other people that influenced my teaching profession include my grandfather and grandmother whom raise me and also my aunt and uncle, all retired teachers. It was my aunt that gave me a passion for mathematics. She explained Algebra in a way that was easily understood and created in me the desire to do the same.  My decision to enter the teaching profession was reaffirmed during my freshman year in high school while tutoring peers at my church in Algebra I.  It was through the tutoring program that the passion my aunt instilled into me took shape.  I continued the tutoring program at church until my high school graduation.   
 
It has always been a passion and priority to me to give the extra effort in order to ensure comprehension of mathematics, as demonstrated by the previously mentioned tutoring program.  The year following graduation, I returned to my high school to participate in the High Hopes program as a remediation teacher.  As a part of this program, I had a 100% pass rate for the "new" Alabama high school graduation exam.  Following this I worked at Sylvan Learning Center as a math tutor and ACT teacher.  In addition to the "extra help" programs, as a teacher at Sparkman High School I would consistently arrive early everyday in order to open the math computer lab to facilitate students to come in and get additional practice.  As a teacher, I have often offered before or after school tutoring for my students.  
 
Some of my professional accomplishments and contributions include parental involvement techniques, coaching the math team, continued professional development, and professional development workshops.  As a teacher it is my belief that parental involvement is an essential tool for the success of the students in my classroom.  I try to remain in constant communication with the parents and/or caregivers of my students to ensure student success and parental involvement.  Other tools such as student communication through postcards during the school year provide encouragement and positive reinforcement as to his or her accomplishments and successes in my classroom.  Each student receives a minimum of four positive and encouraging notes from me a year.   
 
One of the joys of teaching math at Muscle Shoals Middle School is coaching the math team.  It is one of the highlights of my year.  I love the competition and enthusiasm exhibited by the students and parents involved in the program.  Coaching the math team provides me the personal opportunity to enrich and advance the students in mathematics and problems solving beyond the current grade level.  
 
Last but certainly not least, personal and professional development has been very instrumental in my career.  While earning my Education Specialist degree in mathematics education from the University of North Alabama, I received the knowledge to better educate my students.  In addition to advancing my education, I simultaneously completed my National Board Certification in early adolescent mathematics.  Through my pursuit of National Board Professional  Teaching  Standard (NBPTS), I learned that reflection in conjunction with continued education is the key to success.  As a result of this achievement, I strive to not only attend but also personally develop academic professional development workshops.  I have conducted a book study on Steven Peter's "Do you Know Enough about Me to Teach Me?" along with the creation of a professional development strand entitled "Essentials in Technology."  As a SMART-authorized Peer Educator, I have the ability to access professional development materials for my co-workers. I recently completed the process to obtain Alabama Math, Science & Technology Initiative (AMSTI) certification.  Additionally, I continue to speak to graduate classes at the University of North Alabama concerning the importance of becoming a Nationally Board Certified Teacher. 

Muscle Shoals Middle School

Seventh Grade mathematics Teacher, Muscle Shoals , AL. 2005-Present

• Competitive Math Class (Algebra I & Math 7)
• Technology Committee

Covenant Christian School

6^th -12^th mathematics teacher, Tuscumbia, AL. 2003-2005

• Yearbook Advisor
• 8^th& 11^thgrade class sponsor
• School Schedule
• Curriculum mapping
• Keyboarding instructor
• 6^thGrade Math, 7^thGrade Math, Algebra I, Algebra II, Algebra III with statistics, Business Math, and Geometry

Sparkman High School

9^th-12^th mathematics Teacher, Harvest, AL. 2003

• Algebra IA
• I maintained a before school tutoring session.

Sylvan Learning Center

Mathematics tutor, ACT course instructor, Florence, AL. 2002-2003

• K-12^thmathematics
• Pre-Calculus
• ACT training

Winston County Board of Education

High School Graduation Remediation Teacher, Addison, AL. 1999

• High Hopes Program
• 100% passage rate