Photo by Tony Lewis, Jr.
The Country School, Easton
Years Teaching Overall: 25
Years Teaching at The Country School: 21
Currently teaching: Kindergarten
Proudest teaching moment: “I absolutely love watching each child have those ‘aha’ moments throughout the year. That moment when they realize they’ve ‘gotten it.’ It could be something as simple as remembering to do all of their morning jobs on their own for the first time or something as big as reading a sentence. Nevertheless, that proud announcement or that quiet, gratified smile is a wonderful thing to experience from my perspective—all year long.”
Teaching Philosophy: “Educate the whole child. In my care—in addition to learning content and skills—my students are learning how to BE. They are learning how to be good learners, how to be good friends, and how to be good people.”
Toughest challenge facing educators: “In kindergarten, I believe our biggest challenge is keeping the learning age-appropriate. We need to balance the amount of directed instruction with play, all while preparing them for first grade. At this age, play is instructional in several ways. With this in mind, I plan our time with directed instruction as well as periods in which the children can get into deep, unfettered play, all while working on academic, social, and personal goals.”
