STAFF BIOS

Name: Marilyn Phebus Position: First Grade Teacher Residence: Morenci Family Status: I am married and have two children.

Education: I received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters of Arts (Elementary Education).

Work Experience: I taught First Grade at Blissfield Elementary from 1973-1979 and then I began teaching at Sacred Heart in 1986 having both First and Second Grade. I continue to teach First Grade still today.

Teaching Philosophy: All children have the right to health and happiness and to be seen as individuals. As a teacher I help my students develop according to his or her own abilities.

Each child is an active participant in the learning process. Students learn from each other, from hands-on materials provided, examination and explanation.

As a teacher, I help build my students self-esteem by helping them feel capable. I am a facilitator, guide and encourager.

Here are some ways that help a child’s sense of feeling competent:

1. Never criticize a student’s question.
2. Provide numerous avenues for students to be successful in your classroom.
3. Point out what’s good about student’s work.
4. Take time to help struggling students.
5. Encourage students to take risks.
6. Show students how to explore options in all situations.
7. Have conversation with every student.
8. Display students’ work.
9. Show students how to learn form their failures.
10. Allow students to make decisions about certain aspects of their class.
11. Give each student a classroom responsibility.
12. Don’t make assumptions about student behavior.
13. Don’t be overprotective. Let students suffer the consequences of their behavior.
14. Seek opportunities for student work to be judged by external audiences.
15. Celebrate individual student’s achievements no matter how small.

“Self-Esteem Buider,” 1996 Teacher Talk (Vol. 3, Number 2), Center for Adolescent Studies, Indiana University, http://www.education.indiana.edu/cas/tt/v3i2/selfesteem.html

As a teacher, I need to concern myself with what is going on in my students lives because their environment affects their learning. I listen to my students, relate to them and help them have a positive attitude toward learning.

Most Rewarding Teaching Moment: Watching my students’ excitement when they can read and write their own stories.