Welcome Fourth Grade Families!
Welcome Fourth Grade Families! First, let me just say how thrilled I am to have the opportunity to be your child's 4th grade teacher. Having been an educator for (almost!) 20 years, I am always filled with such amazement when a new class enters in August. Spirited, diverse, spunky, and unique ~ every child's story woven into the fabric of a new class community! Thank you for trusting me with your most precious gift this year. 4th grade is going to be PHENOMENAL! My Story I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and moved to Northern California in the summer of 1998. While I very much miss island living, I love everything about Sonoma County, and try to get out to enjoy all that life has to offer here as much as I can! When I'm not out exploring or adventuring, you'll most likely find me on a tennis court as a competitive member of the Petaluma Tennis League through USTA. During baseball season, you may also find me at the Oakland Coliseum rooting on my all-time favorite sports team - The Oakland Athletics! My husband, Jaime, our soon-to-be 10-year-old son, our two cats, Ginger and Bing, two guinea pigs, Benjamin and Axle, our one fantastic dog Cooper, and I all live cozily together in the sweet little town of Rohnert Park. iTeach! I began my teaching career on the small island of Moloka'i in Hawaii, where I taught at Kualapu'u Elementary School, a Hawaiian Language Immersion school; a school rich in traditional Hawaiian culture and values. I spent two years at Kualapu'u Elementary before marrying my husband and making the big move to Sonoma County. While living locally, I have been fortunate enough to work as the Director of Sylvan Learning Center, a 5th and 6th grade teacher at Petaluma Charter School, and for 15 years, an elementary teacher at Village Elementary School in Santa Rosa where I taught students in grades 3-6. These collective experiences have provided many opportunities to work collaboratively across grade levels to establish best practices for students of wide-ranging abilities and aptitudes. In 2017, I was invited to take the leap over to Gravenstein Elementary School, and what a treasured gift that has been! The small school community, emphasis on project-based learning, and dedication to multi-disciplinary enrichments that the Gravenstein District offers are essential components of a well-rounded educational experience, and are directly correlated with my educational philosophy. I love this community and all that it embraces! iBelieve! As both an educator and a parent, I believe strongly in committing to the development of creative and critical thinking skills through respectful and purposeful communication, collaboration, cooperation, and inquiry-driven learning opportunities. My favorite aspect of this amazing profession is seeing your children pursue their passions, build upon their talents, and carve out their own little niches of success! Our classroom community is built upon recognizing and embracing the unique talents and contributions of each member. It's very special to see each student shine their light in their own distinct way. While I have been fortunate to teach a wide variety of grade levels, 4th grade holds a very special place deep within my heart. Helping my student's find the courage to take responsibility for their learning and develop the essential growth mindset needed for becoming lifelong learners is what I love most about teaching. Building independence is an especially crucial step in the life of a 4th grader. The 3rd to 4th grade transition is a huge moment in a child's educational journey, and there is no joy greater than celebrating each student's individual milestones of success as they reach their goals and feel the pride that hard work and best effort can bring about. The year ahead holds magical moments; I feel privileged to be on this journey and experience them with you. Love, Mrs. M |
"Be brave enough to live creatively.
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PORTFOLIORecent ProjectsHere are some of our recent projects from 2017-2018
For a look at more of what's been happening inside Room 11, clink on the link below... |