My passion has always been in the Learning Process. I love those "a-ha" moments where a light bulb goes off in a child's head and you can see in their eyes when they finally understand that difficult concept. That understanding gives new meaning to the world around them, and brings an awareness of how this concept interrelates to other concepts, because after all, as teachers we understand that "knowledge builds upon knowledge."

Children learn through consistency, repetition and imitation. Each day a child must go over and over the concepts being taught. I basically accomplish this without the child even knowing. I create a fun, engaging, hands-on environment. A hands-on environment is one that encourages and provides opportunities for learning by doing. It gives meaning to a concept and helps to apply this learning to real life situations. My classroom is a place where real learning takes place. (Not a lot of rote memorization - only when necessary. i.e multiplication tables, etc.) Children are exploring, they are inquiring, they are curious, but most importantly, they are excited about learning.

It is important for children to learn at his or her own pace. I strive for each student to feel that even their smallest victory was acknowledged. I find that praise works wonders in accomplishing any part of learning. It is when a child feels a sense of belonging, a sense of worth, and a sense of "I can do this," that children thrive and grow in the learning process.

Also, equally important, children need to understand the rules of the classroom. The most important rule is that each member of the classroom community will be respected. Respect will be given, and respect will be received. I am empathetic to students, but I am also tough. I have high expectations and if children aren't giving me 110% I will let them know in a nice way! I am respected within the community, not simply because I have been doing this a long time, but because I know what children are capable of and I create an atmosphere that encourages them to excel to their fullest potential. We work together as a team, and as a team we have triumphs, but we also sometimes hit road blocks and have small hurdles to overcome. As a teacher, I know that we must go back to the drawing board, regroup, and continue to work hard until my students have mastered that concept and I feel they are confident enough to move on to the next!