My Philosophy of Education
Confession time: I don't know everything.
And that's okay... because I am a lifelong learner! If I did know everything, I would not have the curiosity that propels me to investigate, discover, and learn. To me learning is an active, ongoing process in which we use what we already know to make predictions, ask questions, and make meaningful connections between our experiences and our previous learning. When we learn something new, that new concept lights the spark for more discovery. Learning doesn't happen solely within the walls of our classroom, but takes place in the world around us. Learning is meaningful and relevant to our daily lives.
Our classroom is a community. We work together and build each other up. It is a place where we learn from each other--students, teachers, and families alike. It is also a place where we need each other. Every member of our community has special gifts to give and roles to play. Thanks for being part of our community!
A (Brief) Bio
I grew up in Fayetteville, NC. In elementary school my two favorite things were reading and "teaching" my dolls. As I grew older, I was fascinated by children and their creativity. I fell in love with teaching after teaching French to kindergarteners my senior year of high school. I went on to pursue a degree in Elementary Education from UNC-Chapel Hill. I did my student teaching at Forest View and quickly felt at home in our school. This is my fifteenth year teaching 2nd grade.
One thing I love about Forest View is the chance to work with families from all over the world. I'm so grateful for opportunities to learn and improve my teaching through travel. In 2009 I was able to take Spanish classes at Duke and travel to Guatemala with other teachers to visit schools and live with a family for two weeks. In 2013 I participated in a NCSU study abroad program in England focused on writing in technology.
I've lived in Durham since college and immediately fell in love with this city and its people. I love exploring all of the trails and tasty local restaurants! My favorite things to do on the weekend involve wandering around the farmers' market and hiking at the Eno. Besides being outside, I also love to read and cook. I can make a lot of recipes, but I can't flip a pancake without breaking it to save my life! You will catch me reading the newest books from Kate DiCamillo, Jon Klassen, Peter Brown, Sara Pennypacker, and Mo Willems as soon as they hit the shelves.
Longtime Forest View families probably know me as "Ms. McRainey." I got married in 2019 to my wonderful husband and friend Nathan. We have two cats named Black Dynamite and Two-Face. He is a videographer and loves movies so I have been learning a lot about Star Wars, The Avengers, and classic films.
In education we talk a lot about essential questions. The biggest question I have for myself this year is: How will I acknowledge and appreciate the personhood of each child? I look forward to getting to know each of the families in my classroom!
Confession time: I don't know everything.
And that's okay... because I am a lifelong learner! If I did know everything, I would not have the curiosity that propels me to investigate, discover, and learn. To me learning is an active, ongoing process in which we use what we already know to make predictions, ask questions, and make meaningful connections between our experiences and our previous learning. When we learn something new, that new concept lights the spark for more discovery. Learning doesn't happen solely within the walls of our classroom, but takes place in the world around us. Learning is meaningful and relevant to our daily lives.
Our classroom is a community. We work together and build each other up. It is a place where we learn from each other--students, teachers, and families alike. It is also a place where we need each other. Every member of our community has special gifts to give and roles to play. Thanks for being part of our community!
A (Brief) Bio
I grew up in Fayetteville, NC. In elementary school my two favorite things were reading and "teaching" my dolls. As I grew older, I was fascinated by children and their creativity. I fell in love with teaching after teaching French to kindergarteners my senior year of high school. I went on to pursue a degree in Elementary Education from UNC-Chapel Hill. I did my student teaching at Forest View and quickly felt at home in our school. This is my fifteenth year teaching 2nd grade.
One thing I love about Forest View is the chance to work with families from all over the world. I'm so grateful for opportunities to learn and improve my teaching through travel. In 2009 I was able to take Spanish classes at Duke and travel to Guatemala with other teachers to visit schools and live with a family for two weeks. In 2013 I participated in a NCSU study abroad program in England focused on writing in technology.
I've lived in Durham since college and immediately fell in love with this city and its people. I love exploring all of the trails and tasty local restaurants! My favorite things to do on the weekend involve wandering around the farmers' market and hiking at the Eno. Besides being outside, I also love to read and cook. I can make a lot of recipes, but I can't flip a pancake without breaking it to save my life! You will catch me reading the newest books from Kate DiCamillo, Jon Klassen, Peter Brown, Sara Pennypacker, and Mo Willems as soon as they hit the shelves.
Longtime Forest View families probably know me as "Ms. McRainey." I got married in 2019 to my wonderful husband and friend Nathan. We have two cats named Black Dynamite and Two-Face. He is a videographer and loves movies so I have been learning a lot about Star Wars, The Avengers, and classic films.
In education we talk a lot about essential questions. The biggest question I have for myself this year is: How will I acknowledge and appreciate the personhood of each child? I look forward to getting to know each of the families in my classroom!