Allow Me To Introduce Myself

BECAUSE YOU ASKED!

If you would like to view my resume, teaching credentials, photos of my former classrooms,  etc, please visit www.lindagant.com.

Please choose from the 2012 BLOG ARCHIVE selections to your right, to read my posts on living & teaching on Catalina Island, my thoughts on No Child Left Behind, as well as the challenges faced by teachers who teach in remote locations.  You may also use your browser's Scroll Bar to the far right to scroll down through my previous posts. Enjoy and I would love to hear your comments after these posts!

MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Every child has the potential to learn and the educator, in partnership with the parent, makes learning happen.  Young children enter school, curious about the world around them.  They are like sponges, absorbing every word their teacher says.

Kindergarten Back To School Night

As an educator, I teach my grade level standards and use supportive District curriculum.  Assessments are the measures of knowing if my students have learned a standard.  Review solidifies concepts previously-learned, and it is important to re-teach concepts not understood.

My classroom environment has always been attractive, organized, and child-centered, so my students feel at home.  After all, it is their second home!  For learning to occur, good classroom management is of utmost importance.  I use praise as one motivator towards maintaining positive classroom discipline and provide various individual and group incentives, so my students want to be “Caught Being Good!”  Click HERE to visit my former Kindergarten classroom at Avalon School on Catalina Island.

Ready For Kindergarten Open House
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Parent involvement is the key to academic success, and open communication between the teacher and parent is of the utmost importance.  I encourage parents to participate in my classroom and keep them informed through weekly written notices in both English and Spanish.  Spanish as a second language has been a valuable asset for me, bridging the gap between school and home.  Recently, the Bring-Me-A-Book Foundation recognized Avalon as a "socially-disadvantaged" community, with much-needed attention given to the high percentage of low-income immigrant families living here.  Bring-Me-A-Book donated $7,500 in books, rolling bookcases, and parental training to our Kindergarten students and it was an honor to host this in my classroom!

As seen by my work experience over the past 21 years, I am particularly fond of teaching the Kindergarten and First Grade levels, and it has been so rewarding to see these young children begin to read and write in complete sentences!  Due to my ability to speak, read, and write the Spanish language, my teaching experiences in these lower grade levels has extended to second language learners.  This is an area of teaching, which I am very passionate about and enjoy very much.

Little Ones Need A Good Classroom Environment
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I currently hold a Clear California Multiple Subject Credential with a Spanish Supplemental Authorization, CLAD, BCLAD, and a Master’s Degree in Education with a Master’s Thesis focus on ELL students, and 21 continuous years of teaching experience.

My complete resume, copies of my California Teaching Credentials, and supporting documentation may be found on my website listed below.  Thank you very much for considering me for an elementary teaching opportunity in your School District.

This massive teacher lay-off in California has been a devastating and depressing time for all of us, and I look forward to "getting back into the game," as I can't even conceive of doing anything else!

Linda Gant
Long Beach, California
www.lindagant.com