Now, she’s been teaching kindergarten and kindergarten and first grade art education for two decades.
“I started working toward my teaching degree in the 70s but put it on hold until 1995 when I returned to college,” she said.
She graduated from Miami University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Education and immediately began her career. While teaching, she returned to school in 2008 and received an art education teaching certificate in 2010.
The Today’s Pulse found out more about this veteran teacher.
Q: Why did you become a teacher?
A: Over the years, I had worked with children in community activities (girl scouts, cub and boy scouts, art in the park), and when my four children were in early childhood and elementary schools, I found myself at school every day volunteering in one classroom or another. I loved being with the children and found it fascinating watching them grow and learn. I just had to be a part of it.
Q: What do you enjoy most about teaching?
A: I love thinking outside of the box with children. There is nothing better in the classroom then when a child gets that "ah-ha" moment or when their little light goes on. That look in their eyes and the drop of their jaw lets you know they got it.
Q: What is the biggest challenge facing teachers today?
A: Our world is constantly changing and advancing. The world of teaching is no different. As teachers, we are continually training and learning so that we can make best practices available to the children in our classes and schools. Keeping up with technology also tends to be a challenge, as it is constantly developing and moving forward. But the biggest every day challenge for a teacher is time.
Q: What is your teaching philosophy?
A: I believe every child is a unique individual, and, as a teacher, I must provide each child with an educational experience that will meet his or her individualistic needs. I believe young children learn best in an environment that allows activities that involve choice and self-direction.
I believe children should be offered developmentally appropriate, child-centered activities in an inquiry-based classroom, which is structured in such a way as to include concrete, manipulative and hands-on materials, which provide a variety of opportunities for the children to express, experiment, explore and discover. I believe that as a teacher of young children, I need to value early childhood as an important part of life, because it is in these early years that children lay the foundation for the success of their future learning. I also believe that, as a teacher, I need to be committed to my students and believe in them so that they can continue to grow, develop and learn to believe in themselves.
Q: What is a favorite memory from your teaching career?
A: As an early childhood art teacher, I loved when a parent would say that they had framed their child's art work, because I believe all kids are artists.
Also, I received a note from a kindergarten parent explaining that she and her daughter were at Michael’s craft store one day, looking at prints when the daughter pointed to a particular print and said, “It’s a Kandinsky!” The mom looked at the name on the print and sure enough, her little girl was right.
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: I like to walk, ride my bike,and play and read with my six grandchildren. My husband, John, and I love time with our family. We have four grown children, Chris, Katie, Amy and Joe, and six grandchildren, Colleen, Elijah, Benjamin, Jacob, Zach and Ian.
Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: Thanks to our daughter, Amy, and a freshman high school research paper, our family had the great privilege of working with Pilot Dogs Inc. in Columbus, Ohio. We were foster home puppy raisers to three puppies for their Seeing Eye Dog Program. We were also a foster home to a mamma dog for the program and happily delivered two litters of pups.
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