Experience Summary
I am a retired elementary school teacher with 30 years of experience. The grade levels I have taught are 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. All my experience has been with self-contained classrooms, which means that I am able teach art, music, and physical education. My fluency in Spanish has also qualified me to teach a DUAL-LANGUAGE 6th grade class. My sense of humor and listening skills are characteristics that make me a successful teacher.
Teaching Style
I am not the traditional teacher. I believe in using centers and interactive notebooks as teaching tools. By using drama, creativity, projects, and art, my lessons become alive and keep the students motivated. RESPECT is a must in my classroom. Each child knows that he is respected and safe when he becomes a member of my classroom community.
My Hobbies
I enjoy sewing, crocheting, reading educational literature, collecting snow balls, and watching movies.
Other Comments
Telling students why they are learning a certain topic is of utmost importance. When they can connect this to a real-world situation, then they will be more apt to put all their energy into mastering the objective. Immediate feedback and daily assessment is essential to keep a student motivated. I hold high expectations of my students and believe that they will be successful when they realize that they have the potential to be so.
| Elementary Grammar |
 This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Experienced
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| I have taught in a self-contained classroom for 20 years. Grammar was taught daily for 45 minutes. The grade levels were 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th grades. I used the text, workbooks, and centers to cover objectives. |
| Elementary Math |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| Grade levels that I taught were 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th grade. I have 20 years experience and mostly used Saxon Math. I teach to the student's learning style - visual, auditory, hands-on. |
| Elementary Phonics |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| Phonics was part of the Language Arts block during my teaching years. Phonics was mainly stressed in the primary grades, but was randomly covered in the spelling text in grades 5 and 6. |
| Elementary Reading |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
|
| This is where I bloom. I love using literature to teach the dynamics of reading. In addition, using high-interest readers that a student likes enhances their learning. Without reading proficiency, the student will struggle in all other subject areas. |
| Elementary Science |
Proficiency: I know the basics
|
| Science and Social Studies were always taught only twice a week, therefore, I cannot give myself 20 years of credit for them. In addition, it was done in a 30 minute block. Most of the objectives were covered with an observation. This made the lesson come alive. |
| Elementary Social Studies |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| This subject was taught twice weekly in a 30 minute block. Since most of my 20 years of teaching were 4th grade, the study of TEXAS is dominant. The study of maps, regions, States, and citizenship are also included in my experience. |
| Elementary Study Skills |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| Planning, organizing, setting goals, and discipline are but a few of the necessary skills to improve study habits. I tutored study skills during my ENRICHMENT time at school. Once students had a routine down, their grades went up, as well as their self-esteem. |
| Elementary Vocabulary |
Proficiency: Experienced
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| I am big on the use of interactive notebooks. Motivating students to learn vocabulary was a challenge. With the use of interactive notebooks and foldables, students use art and creativity to master this subject. The secret to learning the meaning of a word is to know its roots. |