In a TK-6 school, experienced faculty members play a crucial role in shaping the academic and personal development of young learners. These teachers are responsible for instilling a love for learning in their students while also equipping them with the foundational knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in higher education and beyond. Experienced faculty members bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and practical insights to the classroom. These strengths can positively impact their students’ learning outcomes. In this article, we will provide a real example of how our experience is essential and the benefits that they can provide to students.
Uncovering a Student’s Challenge
A sweet, engaging second grade student visited as an applicant a few years ago. He was so charming and well-spoken and interacted beautifully with the other students during free play. As is routine with visitors, the classroom teacher worked privately with him to informally assess sight word recognition, reading level, math facts, etc.
Shortly after they sat down together, it became abundantly clear to her that the child was likely dyslexic. His parents knew public school was hard for him. They were seeking a better alternative but no other educator had identified an issue or a potential learning disability.
When we discussed our suspicions and recommendations for diagnosis with his mother, she was shocked… but relieved! She asked if we had seen this before, which earned a polite chuckle from us.
Experienced faculty can pinpoint solutions
After 25 years, it feels like we’ve seen it all! And more importantly, we’ve also brainstormed and developed learning plans for each child’s unique blueprint as a team.
A customized Individualized Learning Plan is prepared for each student in the school. This outlines our goals to help each child unlock his/her potential. The plan may include strategies to help the child with a specific learning challenge but it may also include goals for the teacher to help challenge and stimulate learners. We firmly believe we can find a way to individualize your child’s experience so that every child learns to love school.
Over the years, our Individualized Learning Plans have incorporated countless learning goals and creative modifications. Sometimes, we encounter students who finish work quickly and do not require a lot of review or repetition. These students would find inquiry-based or project-based learning extensions available when work is complete. On the flip-side, if a student needs more attention in a subject area, the teacher would create more opportunities to practice that skill in a multitude of ways. Games, songs and technology are all utilized in order to provide a well-rounded learning experience.
Choose wisely for your child
Cornerstone Academy’s faculty is loyal to a fault, and the numbers speak for themselves. While we have one teacher who is new to our community, her arrival is due to another’s delayed retirement! The other veteran teachers have accrued 20 + years teaching together. We have navigated numerous learning styles among our students as well as the ability to pivot to various teaching methods. There is no doubt that young graduates bring a fresh energy to a classroom. But we all remain very young at heart and our experiences have equipped us with countless tricks and tools! There is a certain peace of mind we can offer to our students and our families, and that trust comes from the time and energy we have poured into our students over the years.