WHERE DO YOU TEACH? Talbot Elementary
WHAT GRADE/AGE DO YOU TEACH? 2nd Grade
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A TEACHER? 17 years
WHAT SUBJECT DO YOU TEACH? English Language Arts (ELA)
Why were you inspired to teach?
Teaching runs through my family. My mother taught for nearly 43 years. My brother and sister are both ESE teachers and I am married to a school administrator. I grew up helping my mother in her classroom through the years and found a love for teaching through her leadership, love and passion for education. I grew up witnessing her love for her students and how that extended far outside of the classroom, whether it was taking food or clothing to a student’s home, paying for school expenses so as to not have a child do without, and my favorite has always been the connections she still has today to former students. My grandmother and grandfather were also teachers and taught well into their 70s.
What is your favorite part of the school day?
The school day is filled with such a variety of parts that bring joy. My favorite part of the day is when I am reading with my students and listening to them read.
Do you have a favorite assignment/ project that you typically assign your students?
One of my favorite things to assign to my students is writing about their unique qualities. This is always so humbling to see how they, even at such a young age, are able to recognize how special they are and what makes them special. It also allows students to recognize unique qualities among their friends and classmates leading to the ability to love others, have empathy for others, and embrace those that may be different.
How do you wind down from a long day of teaching?
Should I answer this honestly or with the “politically correct” answer. LOL. I do find an escape through watching Instagram Reels (no, really) and occasionally making reels to fill the cyber world with humor. However, my true “wind down” is being home with my children, cooking/ baking, and having movie or game board nights with my family.
What do you like to do outside of teaching?
I am the proud momma of three children. I find my greatest joy in life is spent with my family. We love trips to the beach, board game nights, movie nights, and my son has recently discovered he likes to cook and bake. So I treasure these moments with my children and my family. When I’m not home, I’m most likely in my van taking my daughter to volleyball, my son to golf and grocery shopping.
Share a funny teaching moment/day.
Well, honestly, I try to make each day as fun as possible while also ensuring my students are learning. One day that stands out is a day when one of my students skipped into class and excitedly shouted, “I can’t wait to see what kind of fun is happening in here today.” Well, it happened to be a “not so fun day” and toward the end of class, he informed me “that was kind of flat … not what I expected.” This gave me a giggle, and reminded me that nothing goes unnoticed by the children. It also allowed for a great opportunity to teach them that some things in life may not always be “fun,” but if you do them with a positive attitude, there is still good to be had.
What is your favorite book?
“The Crayon Box That Talked” – This is my favorite book because I love the way it teaches children about how unique we all are, yet when we come together we make something beautiful. I use this book at the beginning of the year to talk about how beautiful we make our classroom with all of us in it. It is really special to see what the children write about how unique they are. Some talk about their eye color, their size, their speed at running, etc. It’s a special book and a special time in our classroom each year.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We have faced unprecedented challenges over the last two years in education as we have navigated a pandemic. As teachers, we have had to face these challenges with unprecedented strength, patience and grace. While this recognition has my name on it, I couldn’t let this go without acknowledging the amazing teachers that fill our classrooms throughout this District. We have come to work, in some cases, while also coping with the immense stresses in our world and in our homes and have continuously remained focused, engaged and committed to the task at hand in our classrooms, which is to love our students, protect their hearts, and create a learning environment they can thrive in. Teachers are incredible people and belong in a class of superheroes all their own.
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