Extra credit: Kelly King - Churchill Elementary School, Glen Ellyn
Need to know: Teaches fourth- and fifth-grade literacy and social studies at Churchill Elementary School in Glen Ellyn. This is her ninth year as a teacher, all at Churchill.
Q. What advantages does a multi-age/grade classroom offer for students over a traditional single-grade classroom?
A. The biggest advantage is the social emotional impact for students. In a multi-age setting, students establish friendships with kids they may never have known in a traditional setting. This is a huge benefit for kids during the challenging middle school years.
Older students also are offered a wonderful opportunity to develop and polish leadership skills. Younger students have great role models and rise to the high expectations of a multi age classroom.
Q. What challenges have you handled that you didn't expect when you started teaching a multi-age class?
A. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring kids are held accountable to the standards for their grade level. If a multi-age classroom is working well and functioning as it should, it becomes easy to forget which students are fourth-graders and which are fifth-graders.
It is crucial to keep this in mind when assessing students. You need to have high expectations for all students while respecting the differences in experiences and skill levels.
Q. What's absolutely the best part of being a teacher?
A. The best part of being a teacher, without a doubt, is the students. When you work with kids, no two days, no two minutes even, are ever the same.
The honesty, determination and resilience kids bring to school every day is nothing short of amazing. There is no better feeling than witnessing a student develop an understanding of something with which she or he has spent a long time grappling.
Q. If you could combine two non-education things the way you mix two grade levels, what would you blend? (Chocolate and peanut butter? Music and pajama pants?)
A. Yoga pants and Wednesdays! Our district wellness committee has provided a great incentive to our staff called "Workout Wednesday." In an effort to encourage staff to exercise and practice healthy habits, staff members who exercise on Wednesdays can wear comfortable clothes and gym shoes to work on that day. Going home without sore feet every Wednesday is a gift for which I am incredibly grateful!