Ms Calzada's Curriculum Corner

I am entering my 6th year teaching Kindergarten in a transitional bilingual classroom. I am a graduate of DePaul University where I earned my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Also, I have an ESL (English as a Second Language) endorsement, Bilingual Spanish endorsement, and a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I currently work in the Chicago Public School system in a school where 98% of students come from low-income household and 95% of our population is Hispanic.

I differentiate my teaching to meet the many needs and learning styles of my students. My students are bilingual and are transitioning to learning in English. I have many students who have learning disabilities and who are English language learners so I use a lot of visuals, songs, body movements, hands-on experiences, and more. I meet my students where they are at but work diligently to be rigorous with my instruction. I have high expectations for all of my students. I have a very structured environment with routines that help us transition smoothly. I believe that social emotional learning and play are critical parts of a child's education and I incorporate both into our day.

I graduated with my bachelor's and master's degrees with distinction as Suma Cum Laude.

I attended a Catholic school from Kindergarten until my senior year in high school. I attended DePaul University which is located in the city of Chicago. Attending school here gave me the opportunity to get experience in the public schools. The extreme need for quality teachers in the public schools is what keeps me motivated so that I can help improve the lives of these disadvantaged students.

My school uses a completely teacher-made curriculum. I love having the flexibility to decide how I am going to teach and what resources I use. I love teacher's pay teachers for this reason. Also, as a result, have spent a lot of time creating my own curriculum that I'd love to share with you!