TEACHER'S CORNER: THEMES AND FIVE SENSES USED AS TEACHING AIDS

Elisa Grady believes using fun themes and all five senses are helpful teaching aids for her students at St Joseph School in Scott City.

Grady has spent the last two of her 15 years in education as the lead teacher of St. Joseph's Preschool-Kindergarten building. Her classrooms are located in a house next to the regular school building, which she said makes the transition from home to school easier for her students. This also allows her students to enjoy their learning experiences more without interrupting other classes.

"I believe that children learn best when they are using most of their senses and are enjoying what they are doing," said the Sikeston native. "My children love to play with shaving cream and to do the macarena, so I incorporate those things into learning their ABC's and how to write."

She also uses theme learning to help her students understand a concept. On St. Patrick's Day, students got the opportunity to learn more about the holiday as well as the color green. They were led to their classroom by a trail of green glitter. At the end of the trail they met O'Grady the leprechaun, who only sat on quiet laps. Then they read the book "Green Eggs and Ham" and cooked green eggs with ham mixed in. They also practiced coloring with different shades of green crayons.

Similar theme days occur at other holidays during the year. Grady said the students seemed to learn better because they enjoyed what they were doing.

There are many memorable moments when preschoolers and kindergartners are involved. Grady said at this age, children are learning so many things at once that they make interesting mistakes with word usage.

"One time our school was having a penance service, and one child told her mother she wanted to tell the priest about her sins," Grady said. "When the mother explained that she was really too young to have sins, the little girl answered that she did have sins because she had five pennies in her purse."

Grady said teaching was not a career choice for her. Rather, she believes she was chosen for the profession. "I feel like God chose me to take care of his babies, and that is what I strive to do everyday," she said.