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Mrs. Kim Zaphel
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Donald C Parker Early Ed Ctr
Hometown:
Rockton, IL
Class Information:
Room Number: 7
Students per Class: 40
Class Description:
I teach in an at-risk preschool classroom. There are 20 students in each half day session. There are also some students with disabilities included into our classroom. The goal of the program is to provide readiness skills to 3-5 year old children to prepare them for Kindergarten. Each child in the program has to qualify through a screening process, based on need.
Position:
Teacher
Needs:
I use the State of Illinois Early Childhood learning standards to guide my curriculum. Because preschool students do not (and should not) complete worksheets or take scan tron tests, we assess them through observations and work sampling portfolios to show progress. We record our written observations with samples of work (name writing, art projects, cutting samples) and photographs. We upload our observations and photographs to a state early childhood website and attach them to learning standards. Each observation is printed out and put into that child's portfolio. Our cameras and computer software are very out of date (they still use floppy disks) which makes the process very time consuming and many teachers in our district do not even use the website because of this, but simply cut and paste. Our printers take about 2-3 minutes to print each portfolio page. HELP!!! This is a wonderful program and all of the parents love getting a portfolio which shows their child's growth throughout the year. The children love choosing work for their own portfolio when they know they do a great job, and they love showing off their work, even more.
Personal Information:
About Me:
This is my tenth year teaching preschool. My husband and I have been married for 9 years this November and we have 2 wonderful children, Megan 4 and Matthew 2.
College and Degrees:
I graduated from University of Wisconsin-Whitewaterin 1997. My degree is in Special Education: Early Childhood and Cognitive Disabilities. I received extra coursed from Rockford College to become certified in teaching English Language Learners. I will be graduating with a Master's Degree in Teaching and Ledership from St. Xavier University in May.
Activities:
My family and I enjoy camping and fishing together. My latest hobby involves scrapbooking the photographs of our children's lives. I think this is why I love making individual portfolios in my classroom for all of my 40 students. I participate in many school activities and committees. I helped pilot our school district't curriculum mapping project and am currently piloting implementation of The 2nd Step Program, an early childhood violence prevention curriculum.
Favorite Books:
Adult books: The Painted Fence by John Grisham Children'sbooks: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by
Favorite Quotes:
Life will take you where you need to go.
Why Do I Teach?:
I enjoy watching children learn and grow each day. As they are learning, they are also teaching me. I enjoy giving them the tools and letting them create, explore, and question the way the world works.