Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over
which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their
crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own.
~Nikos Kazantzakis
Upon meeting Ms. Grace for the first time I felt a
combination of excitement and intimidation.
As a mother one can feel in her gut when something good or bad is on the
horizon. In this case it happened to be
something great. Ms. Grace exudes a
certain type of confidence and that pushes her class to possess a certain poise
when it concerns their education. You
almost want to stand up a bit taller when she comes into the room. She is quick minded, witty, and sharp; just
the perfect qualities to keep fourth graders on their toes. Coming from a background of educators she was
destined to become a teacher. Her
grandfather was the first African-American educator in New Jersey. She likes teaching fourth grade because she
can talk to them more candidly. Also,
she likes working with kids who are reading to learn rather than learning to
read. Such is the case with children in
lower grade levels. When asked how
having children has affected her in class she says, “ It helped her better understand
the age group and what they’re going through.
It makes you fearless.” At home it helps her learn to pick and choose
her battles. Having a fourth grader at
home she has an inside view of what’s
trending in the fourth grade. Her son helps her understand MindCraft.
Every superhero needs a sidekick. For Ms. Grace that would be Ms. Leslie. She is laid back yet not one to be a
pushover. She reminds me of my dear
friend April who was from North Dakota; very earthy with a great sense of
humor. Ms. Leslie has taught music and
also comes from a family of educators.
She worked as a substitute for Monarch before Ms. Grace kidnapped her
and asked her to be her assistant teacher.
Leslie always saw herself working with younger children, but was up for
the challenge. Being a teacher’s
assistant she has learned none of the kids are that different when it comes to
their emotional needs. At home it has
taught her to pay more attention to her child’s needs.
These educators make an awesome team. When asked what they want parents to know concerning
their children Ms. Grace responded by saying, “Don’t freak out! This will pass (She’s told me that!). Kids are just learning how to be people. All children secretly want to do well. “They’re learning about community”, says Ms.
Leslie. When asked what hello means to
them Ms. Grace recalls living in Senegal for two years. It is a Muslim country and the primary
salutation for hello is As-salamu alakum which means peace be with you. She found that people wished greetings of
peace upon arriving and departing and thought it was very interesting. For Ms. Leslie hello is always a chance to
make a new friend. She also say’s, “It’s
good to have interaction and say hello”.
Much gratitude is wished to these two awesome women, all
the hard working teachers at Monarch Montessori, and all the teachers around the
world. Please, keep on keeping on. They are the awesome people who pour
tirelessly into our kids everyday. Thank
you so much for ALL you do seen and unseen.
Happy Teacher’s Appreciation Week ladies and gents everywhere. Have a wonderful day! (Hope to have a picture of these two ladies soon! AHEM!)
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