Samantha Klenkel Wilkinson
I am an AACPS: Teacher, Cape St. Claire Elementary School | 2019 Teacher of the Year Finalist
To be trusted to shape students’ thinking, to teach respect of various viewpoints, to help communicate ideas, to find joy in learning, and to discover their unique strengths. This is the powerful role of the teacher and one I do not take lightly. I believe my primary role is looking at the end goal, assessing current understanding, and taking into account special abilities, interests, and challenges of the students. Then I map out a course for success incorporating all I know about each student, intentionally scaffolding the plan to reach each individual child. But while academics are important, my job is more complex. It is to develop the whole child, so I place an emphasis on kinesthetic learning, collaboration through Kagan strategies, and arts integration. Consequently, these activities and practices provide students with a sense of belonging, a feeling of choice, and address the beautiful, varied learning styles in the classroom. I believe our 21st century learners already possess the qualities that will make them successful and it is my job to bring those out by encouraging and providing feedback. There is no ceiling for student achievement, so my classroom community is built on high expectations for every child. I believe in mistakes and the growth mindset. Students appreciate authentic learning experiences, so I provide real-world problems, hands-on experiments, and engaging text. My students are problem solvers and critical thinkers, capable of using technology to research and learn so I integrate engaging technology as a tool for learning experiences. Technology has allowed me to provide spaces for collaboration between students, and provides them with new ways to create products to demonstrate learning. My ultimate success is when the child becomes a self-directed learner. Every student deserves a teacher who is enthusiastic and gives effort to make learning fun; one who is intentional in the learning process, who cares deeply about student growth and success in all areas, and who is a champion of her students.
