Butler Elementary

What grade/subject do you teach?

Fourth grade

Why do you teach?

I teach because I want to make the world a better place. I knew in high school that I wanted to choose a career where I could help others. Even with the salary being what it is, I still chose to be a teacher because I want to contribute to making our community better.

What is your favorite part of the school day?

My favorite part of the school day is our morning meeting time. It’s our first interaction with each other in the morning of each day. During morning meeting, I get to learn about my students. For morning meeting we share what we do outside of school, answer daily questions, and sometimes play games. This helps me build individual connections with my kids and they get to learn about my life as well.

What are you working hardest on right now?

I am working hard on making sure everything my kids do in the classroom will help them prepare for their future.

When we learn about fractions, we talk about cooking and following recipes. When we learn about responding to inequality in our modules, I hope they use what we learn outside of the classroom. (response provided in May)

What are you most proud of as a teacher?

I am most proud of the small successes my students make just as much as the big ones. We track how many words we read once a week. I always tell my students we just want to improve from our previous score. The look on my kids’ faces, when they beat their previous score, is the best.

What makes you the happiest as a teacher?

What makes me happiest as a teacher is when other people notice how hard my kids are working. Whether it’s a compliment in the hallway or praise for our behavior during their specials time, I love hearing other people see the good that I see in my kids.

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

I contribute to our community by attending events that are important to my students and advocating for them. I will go to soccer games to watch my students and cheer them on from the sidelines. I want my students to always

know I’m in their corner.

What are your interests/hobbies outside of school?

Outside of school, I enjoy gardening. I always have live plants in my classroom because I want to share my love for plants with my students. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends. Whether it’s watching the Packers or celebrating birthdays, time with my people is always cherished.

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

I wish my students and families knew that I was human too. Just like them, I make mistakes and I’m not perfect. It’s hard as educators because we’re always under a microscope. However, I can say with my whole heart, everything I do for my students, I do with the best intentions. I put myself in my student’s shoes and even look at things from a parent’s perspective. But just like everyone else, I have flaws too. Teachers deal with a lot of unnecessary things in the classroom, the last thing we need is to be ridiculed by adults outside of the classroom.?

What does Together We Rise mean to you?

Together We Rise means to me that we all work together to make things better. I always tell my students that we are the ones who get to change Fort Dodge’s reputation for the better. When we work together and rise together, we can make our community better.