I am a passionate elementary educator seeking a collaborative and innovative school to create engaging and relevant learning experiences for students.

My mission is to inspire students to explore their own passions and become life-long learners, creators, and critical thinkers.    

The jobs that many of our students will be doing in the future do not even exist yet. My goal is to properly prepare them for their future by teaching them the skills that they will need to compete in their uncertain future. Those skills include creating, collaborating and problem-solving, all which are implemented through authentic learning experiences. I would like to take you on a tour of what it is like to be a student in my classroom.

I begin the day with a morning message integrating lessons related to writing, geography, and vocabulary.  The learning is seamless and the children look forward to this ritual.   Later, we move into a morning meeting where we develop social skills through greetings, improve oral language through our sharing, build our “team” through activities, and set goals with our agenda. I follow the philosophy of a responsive classroom and its sets a tone and structure for our day. The routine helps learners of all different levels succeed.

I utilize Kagan cooperative learning structures in mathematics and literacy to increase engagement and ensure participation. I want all students to be accountable for their learning. Everyone has a role and responsibility. I encourage my students to explore their passions by offering them choices in what they learn and how they demonstrate their learning. My classroom is dynamic and my students are often presenting and teaching other students. They are self-motivated learners because they are do what they enjoy and learning!

I integrate technology using Google Classroom, a platform for students to complete online learning. I set up Mystery Skype sessions with other teachers in other countries and we become detectives. We ask questions and use geographical skills to determine the other school’s location. We also learn how to use appropriate social skills as we make global friends.

After venturing through the writing process, I encourage my students to publish their writing using digital media like Book Creator or Kidblog so they have an authentic purpose and audience. They often teach me the new and exciting components to the Apps that I first introduced. I am reflective and always working towards improving my practice by engaging in discussions with colleagues and increasing my personal learning network.

I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you to discuss how my teaching philosophy would match the needs of your school and students.

Sincerely,

Bonnie J. McAuley

bonniejoymcauley@gmail.com

708-688-4441