It's that time again!
I'm delighted to have your child in my class this year. I'm looking forward to a very successful year, and I know you are too. I have high expectations for your child, and I will do all I can to help them grow in their learning and to become life-long learners. As a "Leader in Me" school, our educational teams have dedicated ourselves to incorporate 7 Habits into our curriculum. Your children will learn to be leaders in the school and in their learning. We will collaborate lessons across the curriculum with Project- Based Learning. I believe bringing real life math and science into the classroom.
Educational Philosophy
My goal is to motivate students in ascertaining their inner strengths and abilities and discovering what truly inspires them. I strive to provide an environment that is both safe and stimulating which will foster their confidence and encourage them to reach their highest potential. I take teaching with great pride and will work hard to gain trust and respect from peer, parents, student, and administration. I firmly believe that every child has the ability to reach their full potential. As a diverse educator, I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of students some with severe learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, gifted, and your average student. Through these experiences I have learned to be sensitive to students unique capabilities and provide a classroom where students can have individualized support, collaborate with their peers, and feel valued in a positive, supportive learning environment. I believe by all of us working together we can make this a very successful year. You are invited to phone me or visit the school any time that you have a question concerning your child. I will keep you informed by sending home a weekly newsletter in the Thursday folders. We will be using a class economy system. They will have a checkbook and will receive class cash for completing a job each week as well as for exhibiting exceptional leadership behavior. They will fill out a job application for real world jobs and connect it to our classroom. Through this they will learn leadership skills, math skills, writing skills, budgets, and salary vs hourly. I will send home more information the first week of school on our economy system.
Educational Experience
I'm a graduate of Sam Houston State University. I have my teaching certificate for grades K-8 and a minor in English. This is my first year to teach at Walnut Springs Elementary. After subbing here last year, I knew WSE was a fit for me. In the past, I have had the pleasure of teaching in exemplary Cy-fair ISD and becoming a business owner. In 2003 I conceived of a new concept business that blends education, childcare, and fun educational programs that enhance a child's ability to learn. We opened Playtime for Kids a hourly drop-off in The Woodlands, Tx. This involved extensive business planning, presentations, training new staff, and curriculum development for the facility. In addition to the childcare aspect of the business I developed educational programs for the company that focused on reading readiness, language development, phonics, math, science, motor skills, and much more, providing daily instruction using various teaching techniques. Having a background in these areas has given me new insight and ideas that I'm able to implement in the classroom.
Personal Note
My husband and I met in High School and both are graduates of Sam Houston State University. We have lived in Dripping Springs for the past 4 years. We are blessed with two wonderful children, Kenzie and Holden. Kenzie is heading off to college this August and our son Holden will be in the 10th grade at DSHS. We have two dogs and a cat. I love to spend time with my family, read, hunt for fossils, and family movie nights.
I consider it a great privilege and responsibility to be your child's teacher this year and look forward to meeting you.