Meet Our Children’s Courtyard Staff – Ms. Linda, Private Kindergarten Teacher

Meet Ms. Linda, the Private Kindergarten teacher at The Children’s Courtyard in Stockbridge, GA! She has about 20 years of teaching experience and has been at this center for six years. Read our Q&A with Ms. Linda to learn more about her classroom and passion for teaching little ones!

Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I grew up in a family of seven children and I guess I really tutored my younger brothers and helped them. I always loved to read and I just love children.

Can you walk us through a typical day in Private Kindergarten?

We do circle time in the mornings and we do our vocabulary review and our sight words. We do a little review every single morning and then do our weather and classroom helpers and go over things like that. After circle time I read them a story related to the lesson of the week.  Then we go to our seats and work in our reader’s notebooks. Then they go to learning centers and then they go outside for outdoor activities. Then we come in and they have lunch and lay down for rest time. They can sleep if they want to and if they don’t want to they can just read quietly. We do that until 1:30 and then they get up and we do math and learning centers and usually hands-on activities and then they can go to independent activities.

You mentioned they write in their notebooks – what types of topics do they write about?

We do different things according to the stories we’re reading. Plus, sometimes we practice our letters, sometimes we practice our sight words, just whatever we want to do. Then I give them free choice on Fridays and they can draw or write about anything they want. We work through whatever we’re working on.

What so special about students at this age?

This is when they get light bulb moments and when they start to really begin to read. I have some that are starting now and some that are struggling through but they’re starting to get it. It’s just exciting to me.

Could you share a memorable moment you’ve had at Tutor Time?

We have graduation every year and usually are asked to say something, and for me, that’s like my moment of saying goodbye and getting ready for the next group. It’s always sad! But then I see what they’ve really done that year and see what they really have accomplished. I know how many little books they’ve read, like last year all of them had read over 80 books! That’s pride for me that they’ve accomplished that.

After 20 years of teaching, what keeps you coming back, year after year?

It’s about the love of the children and knowing that I’m making a difference in their lives.