Holiday Cheer; All Aboard the Polar Express!

Hello! If you are looking for a compassionate high energy teacher who loves teaching character building and cares about children's emotional growth in today's world then come on in, sit down, and let's get acquainted. Teaching character building and coping skills for emotional growth are the building blocks for a socially well-rounded child. I am honored and so excited to be able to share these important lessons in the classroom. 

That being said, I'm so happy you are here! A bit about me, my name is Michele Howard Laforge, but I go by "Mitzi"....yes, I do know that it is a dog's name so at least it should be easy to remember! ;D 
I joined Outschool as a parent hoping to find classes for my daughter in March 2020 and I loved the platform so much I decided to start teaching here.  I live in sunny Florida and am an Elementary and Middle School Education Teacher for grades 1st - 8th. Before having my babies, I taught 3rd through 6th grades in a regular classroom setting. I am a certified TESOL teacher to students and adults in Mexico and China. Being a Prevention Educator for a private, non-profit organization that aids in the Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment of child abuse has given me the ability to teach Personal Safety and Character Building lessons to students 3 to 18 years old, which is where my heart is.  I have also enjoyed homeschooling my three children in Elementary, Middle, and High School. 

My goal is simple- to teach in a way that the learner understands the concepts and can apply them in a productive way. I teach using the most effective techniques that work best for each learner. I am consistently educating myself on the latest strategies for each concept that I teach, using a variety of tools and materials to accommodate different learning styles such as visual, role playing, writing activities, videos, stories, etc.  I love teaching and I love Outschool. I guess you could say teaching is what I do, who I am, and what I love! My passion with a capital "P".  I am so excited to be able to connect with and teach learners from all walks of life. 

I offer Character Building classes:  Bullying, Choices and Consequences, Empathy and Kindness, Gratitude, Generosity, Respecting Others', Managing Stress,Worry and Anxiety, Conflict Resolution, Self-esteem and Confidence,  Peer Pressure and Making friends, Perseverance and Patience, Self Awareness, Etiquette and Good Manners, and Internet Safety.  I offer ongoing courses that teaches these Character Building classes for different age groups. I also offer multi-day courses. Even though I am the teacher, I learn something new every day from my learners. Just one of the many reasons I love teaching!

I feel children learn best in an environment where they feel safe to express themselves, and have interactive communication. Having fun while learning is a goal of mine, everyone learns differently, but "fun" is universal which helps to grasp concepts.  My teaching style is laid back, interactive, with structure as I strive to create a comfortable atmosphere conducive to learning. Keeping the class enrollment low to assure that everyone gets seen and heard. Having a sense of humor as well as knowing when to be serious is key to having a productive, successful lesson with students of any age. Most of my classes are offered Monday-Thursday 10:00am-7:00pm EST and I will book weekend classes at request if my schedule allows. If you do not see a time that works, please message me and I will list that class at a more convenient time for your schedule. I respond to emails within 24 hours.

Outside of teaching, I love spending time with my family and friends. We live on the beach and love to do anything on or around the water. We visit the mountains regularly as that is where I find my serenity and peace (and goodness knows we all need that from time to time). I love remodeling old homes, writing, music, piano, baking, pilates, reading suspense novels, and I play a "mean" game of ping pong.

I feel so blessed to be teaching with Outschool and find it an honor to be able to share these important lessons with your child! I look so forward to seeing them in the classroom!