Lauren Bernard
Kindergarten - Room 2
First Grade Art & Social Studies - Room 6
Contact Information
lsbernard@seattleschools.org
(206) 252-5550
I am at Sacajawea teaching half-day kindergarten every day from 9:05-11:40. I also teach Art / Social Studies on Thursday and Friday afternoons to first grade students in Room Six. It is a pleasure to work with the variety of students and their families.
Personal and Professional History
I have been an educator for 14 years. This is my fifth year teaching kindergarten at Sacajawea, and I love coming to work here everyday. I have a master's degree in Education, with a special focus on social-emotional growth and teaching children how to take personal responsibility for their actions.
When I'm not teaching I?m busy having fun with my husband and two boys (ages two & seven). I'm fortunate to share the joy of being a ?Sacajawean? with my first grade son. In my free time I like to make art, exercise, read, travel, explore, laugh and eat Asian food.
Being a teacher and a parent at Sacajawea enriches my life. It is the ideal environment for everyone to learn and grow.
Philosophy
My mission is to foster a lifelong love of learning and build a strong foundation for my students in this first leg of their formal education journey.
Our child-centered classroom is bubbling with excitement. Kindergarten is an incredible year of growth, filled with wonder, curiosity, enthusiasm, exploration, and integration. I am deeply committed to providing a developmentally appropriate and balanced curriculum, focusing on the children's social, emotional, academic and creative growth.
Community is the underlying focus of kindergarten, and the children learn to work together as a collective kindergarten "family". We establish a supportive classroom climate in which students feel comfortable taking risks and trying new challenges.
We have a blend of teacher-guided instruction and child centered learning, mixing whole class, small group, and individual projects. I provide opportunities for the students to move around the room and make various learning choices during our time together. Creative writing is a large part of our curriculum, which is woven across the content areas in the course of our full mornings together. With the help of parent volunteers and a classroom assistant, I'm able to tailor instruction to meet students' individual needs.
A Typical Day in Room 2
| 9:05-9:10 | Unpacking Routines |
| 9:10-9:20 | Independent Book Look |
| 9:20-9:35 | Calendar (patterns, days of the week, math surveys, computation, etc.) |
| 9:35-9:45 | Movement/Communication/Poetry |
| 9:45-10:30 | Language Arts Creative Writing, Literature, Letter/Word Study, Learning Centers |
| 10:30-10:45 | Recess |
| 10:45-10:50 | Snack |
| 10:50-11:35 | Math, Science, Art, Global Studies, Journals (depends on the day) |
| 11:35-11:40 | Closure/Pack Up |
| 11:40 | Dismissal for half day students Kindergarten Arts students remain for the full day. Click here for more information about Kindergarten Arts. |
Curriculum
While we use state frameworks to guide our curriculum, we also explore topics that are important to the children in class. A great deal of our learning during the year comes from each other, and it is my goal to remain flexible, since topics of study often emerge from the student's natural curiosity and interests.
Expectations
I provide clear expectations and predictable routines, which helps students develop a sense of personal responsibility within our community. There are many opportunities for students to practice voice - the act of listening and being listened to. One example of this is our "Solution Station," which empowers students to resolve topics on their own by using a common language.
Parent-Teacher Partnership
Parents and family members are ALWAYS welcome and encouraged to be involved in Room Two either by helping from home or in class.
Assessment
Throughout the year the students and I collect work in a portfolio to demonstrate their growth. Students take an active voice and reflect upon their learning with self-evaluations, and work on setting their own learning goals as the year unfolds.