Where do you teach? Early Childhood Center

What grade/subject do you teach? Kindergarten

Why do you teach? I teach because I think the experiences students have in school can have a healthy and positive impact in their present and future lives. I don’t always know what is going on outside of school, but kids spend so much of their life in school I want to be someone that can make a positive difference like some of my teachers did for me as a kid.

What is your favorite part of the school day?

My favorite part of the school day is math! I love the subject myself and know how important the first few stages of math are, so watching students work with numbers and concepts and seeing their understanding develop day to day is amazing to watch.

What are you working hardest on right now?

We are really working on laying a solid foundation in math and reading. We have been working hardest on developing the meaning of numbers and their quantities while comparing them and learning what all the letters and sounds are.

What are you most proud of as a teacher?

I am most proud of the culture in our classroom. There is nothing more amazing than watching students become a team and watching them find ways to celebrate each other on good days and empathize on tough days.

What makes you the happiest as a teacher?

What makes me happiest is seeing the growth that students make both academically and socially. Students have those light up moments when they finally figure out what they’ve been working toward or you see how they respond to situations differently than they might have when they came to my class. Those moments are pretty priceless.

How do you contribute to/how are you involved in our community outside of school?

In the summers, I help out with a T-ball team and I love attending students’ games or activities when I can. I grew up playing sports year-round so I think it would be fun in the future to coach in the area at some point.

What are your interests/hobbies outside of school?

I very much enjoy the outdoors, so during the school year I go on a lot of walks and bike rides when the weather allows it. In the summer, I love to go camping and travel to visit family and see new places.

What do you wish your students/families knew about you?

I wish my both my students and families knew the impact they have on my life as a teacher. The nice messages, cards, drawings, and kind words go a very long way, and I am extremely appreciative of each and every one!

What does Together We Rise mean to you?

Together We Rise means that everyone does what it takes to reach our goal. There are so many things that can happen on a day-to-day basis, and it really does make a positive difference when we all do it together!