What’s your favorite school supply?

My favorite school supply is probably paint. In a school that doesn't have much time devoted to arts and crafts, I find that children are always eager for opportunities to express themselves artistically and creatively. Though paint can be quite messy, I love that it gives students the chance to explore different mediums and really use their hands to feel and explore with the paint.

What do you like to do when you’re not teaching?

In my downtime, I like to spend time with my friends, family, and pets. I love to travel, and am going to be going to Dubai in just a few months. Last year I was blessed to visit New York, Chicago, California, Vancouver, and many other amazing places throughout the states. Traveling gives me a break from all the stress that comes with teaching, and reminds me that the world is a beautiful place!

What is the biggest lesson your students have taught you?

The biggest lesson my students have taught me is that you should never take anything too seriously. No matter how stressed out I am or how focused I am on getting a lesson to go perfectly, things always go wrong, and in these moments, I just look at my kids and laugh. They always remind me to *keep it a little deal* when things don't go the right way, and just keep moving along.

What is your funniest memory from the classroom?

The funniest moment in my classroom was last term, when a student happened to lose a sock during a game of four corners. Things had gotten a little bit crazy during the game, and we found the sock after the game. What was even stranger was that no student came forward to claim the sock. So, I took the sock and taped it to our whiteboard, leaving it there for a student to buy back with 25 class dojo points, if they so wished.

What has been your proudest moment in the classroom?

My proudest moment in the classroom was this term, in my 4th-grade room. My students on average grew 15% from their fall to winter ANET assessment, and more than half my class has met their end of year goal.