Phonics Fun! "E" is for Elephant

Welcome to my classroom! I enjoy using songs, finger plays, rhythm, and movement to help younger learners explore their world. I will help your child become a confident reader through a traditional, phonetic approach that has helped so many other children achieve success.

In my classroom, your child will first build a foundation by learning the letter sounds. This is a fun time of learning with hands-on projects, songs, finger plays, and rhymes to help your child connect the letters to sounds. We are also working to enrich your child’s vocabulary. Your child will progress to reading blends. This fairly short process is made more enjoyable with songs and games. Then the magic happens! We will begin to connect blends with ending consonants. Your child will suddenly have the “light-bulb moment” as he or she realizes that letters can connect to make real words not just sounds and blends. From that point, we will continue to add additional sounds of letters (eg. short versus long vowels) and special sounds as your child builds confidence and fluency as an early reader. This process is so rewarding, and I would love to help your child find success!

Of course you are always welcome to have your child join us wherever he or she is in the learning process. And if you are unsure, we can work together to find the best class for your child to feel confident and challenged. 

My experience as a teacher has been fairly diverse. Even as a teenager, I was always busy teaching, either through my church or as a tutor at the elementary school. My official teaching path began after college in a private school where I taught kindergarten and third grade, as well as after school and summer programs. Throughout the years, I have also done private tutoring, particularly in reading. I then shifted my focus to home educating my three children. I am so grateful to have been present for so many of the “Aha!” moments. I have also had the privilege of teaching in small groups as a homeschooling mom as well.  This past year I had the opportunity to begin teaching English online through a private company. It has rejuvenated my desire to teach the early years again. Now that my own children are teenagers and more independent, I am able to turn my attention back to working with other families.

In my limited free time, I enjoy gardening, reading, crafts, music, international cooking, and taking our dog for walks as a family. 

I believe that every child has the ability to learn and that it is our job as adults to help each child find the right keys to successful learning. Young children are so curious and absorb learning like sponges. Why not take advantage and give them the best start possible?