Our Featured Teacher is Allison Andersen!
I have lived in Palm Beach Gardens my whole life, and I studied at Florida State University and Florida Atlantic. I have been very lucky to spend my whole teaching career at one school, Lighthouse Elementary. Being part of this Jupiter community has been an honor. I currently live in North Palm Beach with my husband. We have two grown sons and three wonderful grandsons.
Where do you teach?
I teach at Lighthouse Elementary. I have been there since it opened in 1988.
What grade/age do you teach?
Second grade
How long have you been a teacher?
35 years
What subject do you teach?
I teach all academics.
Why were you inspired to teach?
Both my grandmothers and my mother were teachers. I also wanted a job where I could work with children. They make each and every day interesting. It is never the same. I can remember every one of my teachers from first grade on. It’s a good feeling to be able to make a lasting impression in children’s lives. I run into adults now that I have previously taught. We still remember each other. I also get children of former students.
What is your favorite part of the school day?
I enjoy our Morning Meeting. It is a relaxing way to start the day. We share thoughts, feelings and foster good character education. It makes our class feel like family when we get to get to know each other by casually talking and listening to each other.
Do you have a favorite assignment/project that you typically assign your students?
As an extension of the social studies curriculum, students participate in an immigration/Ellis Island unit. We take a trip back in time to learn about immigration to America during this time period. The culminating event, “Ellis Island Day,” takes place in our pavilion that is transformed into “Ellis Island” where students experience entering the U.S. as an immigrant. Students dress according to the time period of Ellis Island. They pass through stations with their own “passport” that we make in class! They pack a bag, old pillowcase, blanket, etc. filled with two or three items they would bring with them if they were immigrating to America.
How do you wind down from a long day of teaching?
I enjoy making dinner and reading to wind down after teaching. I also enjoy settling in for a good movie on the couch.
What hobbies do you enjoy?
I have two sons and three grandsons, so it is the woods, fishing and boating for our hobbies.
Share a funny teaching moment.
We were doing a word family activity with the -ay ending. The students were to write words that belonged in the -ay family. One student wrote flay. So, I circled it to let him know that wasn’t really a word. He marched up to me in a huff and asked, “What is wrong with this?” I answered, “Well, that is not a real word.” He looked at me like I had two heads…and said, “You never heard of flay (filet) of fish?”
If you were a superhero, who would you be?
I have a T-shirt that says, “I am a Superhero, I teach second graders!”
What is your favorite children’s book?
I would never be able to pick one. I love reading. That is how I wind down and relax at the end of the day. In class, that is another one of my favorite parts of the day. I read aloud to my students every day. This way I can introduce them to different genres, authors and series. This year they really enjoyed the series by Jory John and Pete Oswald. It includes The “Cool Bean,” “The Bad Seed,” “The Good Egg,” “The Couch Potato”… just to name a few. The books have great pictures, characters and good lessons to learn.
Share 3 pieces of advice to parents about how to make school time amazing
1. Be involved. Set aside time each day to go over your child’s day with no distractions. The home-to-school connection is so important.
2. Show/model that reading is important. I want the children to have a love for reading, not think of it as a chore. Families reading together is awesome!
3. Teachers and parents need open communication. We are raising the child together for the school year. Both parties need to be fully invested.
What are you looking forward to on the first day of school?
A whole new group of children and families to build a relationship with so we never forget each other. A whole new group of children to discover that learning is fun and never ending.