Teacher, Warner Elementary School
“In 1995, I began my teaching career in Delaware, and I am passionate about working and growing with my students, their families, and my colleagues. My own daughter and my young students at Warner often say that they want to be teachers when they grow-up. I tell them that being a teacher is the best job in the world; they will work very hard but will love their work.”
I attended public school in Colonial School District from kindergarten through 12th grade, and my teachers had a profound impact on my life. I thank them for consistently supporting my desire to learn and for encouraging me to challenge myself. My parents strongly believed in public education, and they taught my sister and me that a strong work ethic, perseverance, and determination, combined with a quality education, can take you anywhere.
My greatest impact has been my ability to meaningfully engage my Warner students’ parents and adult family members in their children’s education. During the first month of school, I make sure that I meet each parent or guardian of each child. I look each parent in the eye and tell him/her, “I believe in you and your child, and I expect that we will be partners this year.” I make families feel welcome at school by inviting all parents, adult family members, and siblings to spend time in the classroom, and I greet them with a warm smile then hug them as they enter the classroom. I introduce each family member to the entire class, and I thank each family member in writing for taking the time to visit the classroom, attend open house, attend a community supper, or come to parent conferences. Each week, I call, write handwritten notes, and/or e-mail parents to invite them to school, to tell them about something that their child has done well, to talk about the program, or to ask, “How are you?” The FRIENDs (Families Reading to be Invested, Engaged, Nurturing, and Devoted) Program that my Red Clay preschool team and I developed won a 2013 Superstars in Education Award from the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. Through this program we 1) invite all family members to spend time in our classrooms as Mystery Readers, 2) maintain a lending library of reading related puzzles, activities and games for children to borrow to use a home with their families, 3) maintain a lending library of children’s books, so every child has a book at home that he/she can read with family members each night, and 4) provide opportunities for parents to view videos and/or spend time in the classroom to watch the teachers and learn how to provide reading and writing support to their children.
I believe that my students’ families work hard to do the very best that they can for their children, but when I meet them, they may not have the tools that are necessary for supporting their children’s school success. It is my job to give parents the tools that they need throughout the school year and to do so in clear, thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate, and never condescending ways.
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