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Dressing up as a queen to introduce the letter ‘Q’ and the way it appears and sounds was a comparatively straightforward alternative for kindergarten instructor Alex Kellemen.
“It was the ‘V’ that stumped me for some time, after which I got here up with making a paper volcano and hanging it on my belt,” Kellemen says.
Identified for her modern instructing techniques that embody carrying colourful costumes to assist conventional studying, Kellemen often delights college students, dad and mom and fellow lecturers at Alta Vista Elementary College by displaying up in school dressed as a mouse, dinosaur, rabbit, and king, amongst others. Someday she wore a cluster of balloons.
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If her exploits give college students and colleagues causes to begin their days with laughs, she’s high quality with that.
“At college we’re primarily one massive household, so it’s essential to make constructive impacts which have ripple results. Plus, I like to make individuals snigger, and I discover happiness in serving to others,” Kellemen says.
Alta Vista Principal Dr. Barbara Shirley describes Kellemen as a beloved instructor and powerful instructional practitioner whose constructive affect and attain go far past her classroom.
“Alex has the distinctive skill to construct a rapport with college students in all grade ranges, their households, and employees. College students love her as a result of she acknowledges their individuality. Households love her as a result of she builds connections and cares about them. Colleagues love her as a result of she willingly affords assist that transforms instruction. Alex is an inspiration to all of us,” Shirley says.
Regardless of the pandemic challenges that precipitated some college students to be quarantined or be taught from residence, on the finish of the college yr 100% of Kellemen’s college students had been deemed able to progress to first grade.
“I’m pleased with how we took the problem by the horns and succeeded collectively. To me, it proves that success is greater than a check rating,” Kellemen says.
“Success is measured by how effectively college students really feel secure, liked, revered, and accepted for who they’re and what they’ve to supply, regardless of what they’ve been by way of or are going by way of. Youngsters should really feel proud intrinsically and have their primary wants met earlier than they’re free to give attention to their work and actually blossom,” she says.
Kellemen credit pupil engagement and a constructive classroom tradition as the 2 largest elements contributing to her college students’ excessive stage of educational and emotional development final yr.
At first of the pandemic, Kellemen and her colleagues realized that they, together with their college students and households, wanted extra assist for emotional and psychological well being, not simply lecturers.
“With out the right consideration to psychological well being, it turns into fairly tough to be taught and deal with feelings, which impacts one’s skill to operate and get by way of his or her day efficiently,” she says.
Kellemen used evidence-based social-emotional studying applications and constructive conduct interventions to shift her focus and make psychological well being a precedence for her college students and herself.
“We spend time each day discussing how to deal with tough conditions and find out how to specific ourselves utilizing our phrases. Constructing this sturdy basis for psychological well being most positively will assist my college students be extra profitable not solely this college yr however in years to come back,” she says.
Kellemen is enthusiastic about setting a constructive tone to create a development mindset for her kindergarteners’ future schooling.
“They’re little sponges, simply absorbing new enter for the very first time, and I see them develop proper earlier than my eyes.”
With 15 college students in her classroom, Kellemen says, “Which means 30 eyeballs are watching every part I do and 30 ears are listening to every part I say. I’ve to be vigilant and ensure that every single day I’m modeling the conduct I need them to show.”
She wish to remind the group that her college students are absorbing phrases and actions throughout them, not simply within the classroom.
“Social media permits individuals to say what they suppose with few penalties or repercussions. All of us have to be cautious what we are saying and the way we act as a result of these little sponges soak it in, and they’re our future,” Kellemen says.
Educating kindergarteners find out how to talk with one another to allow them to use phrases for good and specific their emotions appropriately is a significant emphasis in Kellemen’s classroom.
“The impression of phrases is so highly effective. Whether or not they’re 5 or 25, studying to speak to one another is an especially essential talent, particularly in a world the place expertise is prevalent and contributes to impersonal interactions,” she says.
Kellemen’s class has a particular mantra that they are saying as a bunch, and typically to one another, to assist them bear in mind to maintain attempting after they encounter challenges.
With Kellemen saying every phrase and college students repeating after her, the mantra goes like this:
“I’m superior.
I can do onerous issues.
I imagine in myself.
My instructor believes in me.”
Someday, after repeating the final phrase, the scholars, on their very own, added: “And I imagine in my instructor.”
“That meant a lot to me,” Kellemen says.
“That is my calling in life, and I’ve a giant job to do.”
In regards to the Schooling Basis of Sarasota County
The Schooling Basis of Sarasota County sponsors the Ignite Schooling: Trainer of the 12 months annual recognition at the side of Sarasota County Colleges. The Schooling Basis is an unbiased, philanthropic group whose mission is to reinforce the potential of all college students, promote excellence in instructing, and encourage innovation in schooling, guided by strategic philanthropy and the idea that schooling adjustments lives. Discover extra at EdFoundationSRQ.org.
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