Lisa Fox Jackson of Iowa is a third grade teacher at Estes Park Elementary School in Estes Park, Colorado. She has a degree in Education from Naropa University, where she also earned a degree in Visual Arts.
She says that she loves working with her third graders, most of whom are eight and nine years old. Most days begin with all of the kids coming into her classroom, usually buzzing with some kind of infectious child energy. "They check the board at the front of the class for special instructions and my Day Outline, and begin moving around the room as they complete their usual morning responsibilities."
By eight o'clock, Lisa Fox Jackson of Iowa says the kids are ready to begin their first subject, which is usually Reading. "I'll read them a book and we'll spend some time analyzing the characters," she says. "Last week we read The Giving Tree, which is one of my favorites. Some of the kids wanted to know why the little boy kept taking, and why the tree kept giving and giving. And I told them that the book is all about giving, and not being selfish." She says that reading the book always brings a few tears to her eyes, and she has to explain that to the kids, too.
As the day progresses, there are class meetings and other subjects like spelling. And of course the kids always look forward to recess and to lunch. In the afternoon it's time for arithmetic. "When 3:15 rolls around school gets out, and the kids are all excited. I always say goodbye to them one by one. And I know that they aren't the same group of kids they were when they walked in that morning. If I've done my job right, they've learned something of value. And that makes me feel pretty good."
She says that she loves working with her third graders, most of whom are eight and nine years old. Most days begin with all of the kids coming into her classroom, usually buzzing with some kind of infectious child energy. "They check the board at the front of the class for special instructions and my Day Outline, and begin moving around the room as they complete their usual morning responsibilities."
By eight o'clock, Lisa Fox Jackson of Iowa says the kids are ready to begin their first subject, which is usually Reading. "I'll read them a book and we'll spend some time analyzing the characters," she says. "Last week we read The Giving Tree, which is one of my favorites. Some of the kids wanted to know why the little boy kept taking, and why the tree kept giving and giving. And I told them that the book is all about giving, and not being selfish." She says that reading the book always brings a few tears to her eyes, and she has to explain that to the kids, too.
As the day progresses, there are class meetings and other subjects like spelling. And of course the kids always look forward to recess and to lunch. In the afternoon it's time for arithmetic. "When 3:15 rolls around school gets out, and the kids are all excited. I always say goodbye to them one by one. And I know that they aren't the same group of kids they were when they walked in that morning. If I've done my job right, they've learned something of value. And that makes me feel pretty good."