At which school in the district do you teach?   

I teach at Chipperfield Elementary School  

What grade (s) do you teach?   

Third Grade

Is there anything you wish you’d known as a first-year teacher?  

1. As long as you are fair with your students then they will like and respect you!  Be firm, but fair.
2. Try hard to make a connection each day with each student.

What’s your favorite part about teaching? 

My favorite part of being with students is interacting with them and being someone that they can trust. Each day I’m given the opportunity to be the best part of their day.  That’s a great opportunity.  I hope students remember me as their biggest fan and someone that helped them accomplish things that even surprised them.

How long have you been teaching in the Stroudsburg Area School District?

This is my 26th year teaching in Stroudsburg.  I first started teaching at Clearview Elementary School. I taught there for 10 years and taught both 3rd and 4th grades.  Then I moved up to the Stroudsburg Intermediate School which is currently Chipperfield Elementary and have stayed with third grade for the past 16 years.  It is amazing how fast all these years have gone.  I also teach at Northampton Community College as an Adjunct Professor. I teach future teachers how to effectively teach Math, Science, and Literature/Reading.

Why do you enjoy teaching?

I have been teaching since I was 17 and taught the Canoeing Merit Badge at my scout camp.  That is where I first caught the “teaching bug”.  Seeing scouts/students having fun while learning is as much of a driving force for me today as it was back in the beginning.  I know everything will not be fun, but I try to do the best that I can.  I also enjoy saying “Hi” to each student I see in the morning whether it’s in the classroom or in the hallway.  Soon most students know me and greet me first.  I make a point to joke with students so they feel comfortable and know that teachers can be funny too.

I enjoy all the different ways that I can approach or teach a lesson.  I remember having a hard time in school, so I really try to explain my lessons with all types of learners in mind.  I’ve learned that there is no “one way fits all” in education.  If one method doesn’t work there’s always another.  That is why I love to hear students’ questions.  They really give me an insight into how and what they are thinking.  I can then help connect the dots for them. I have seen that light bulb go on many times!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Fairfield, NJ.  I still have great memories of my elementary school teachers.  I try to use all the good stuff that I still remember from them. I then moved on and went to West Essex High School.  I finished my undergraduate B.A. degree in Elementary Ed. from York College of PA. My Master’s Degree is in Elementary Education with a concentration in reading, from East Stroudsburg University.

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Photo via Mr. Schubert