Meet Mrs. Ekena
Hi! My name is Sara Ekena (ee - kah - naw). I am originally from Madison, Wisconsin, where I graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama. After college, I volunteered for AmeriCorps through the University of Chicago and taught as a literacy tutor for Spanish speaking second graders within the Chicago Public Schools. Following my service, I moved to Peoria, Illinois and began teaching pre-kindergarten while attending graduate school. I completed my student teaching in the fall of 2008 at Germantown Hills and now hold a Masters of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix. I taught second grade at Germantown Hills for nine years and last year I began the exciting adventure of teaching at Central! This is my first year teaching fourth grade and I am excited for the wonderful year ahead!
I married my wonderful husband Jeff in 2006. We welcomed our delightfully spicy little girl, Lillian Paige (Lily), in 2010 and in February of 2013 we completed our family with the addition of kind-hearted and mischievous Carter Shane. The four of us live in Washington. Lily and Carter both attend Central and are in third grade and first grade, respectively. Jeff works for the Regional Office of Education as the Superintendent for Woodford, Tazewell, and Mason Counties.
When not spending time in the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my family, exercising, swimming, playing soccer, listening to and playing music, singing, acting, dancing, and reading. I love white wedding cake, lilies, musical theatre, high heels, HGTV, Wisconsin cheese, the color pink, young adult fiction, and sleeping...zzzzzzzzz
If you're still with me, let's move on to my classroom management philosophy. :)
I married my wonderful husband Jeff in 2006. We welcomed our delightfully spicy little girl, Lillian Paige (Lily), in 2010 and in February of 2013 we completed our family with the addition of kind-hearted and mischievous Carter Shane. The four of us live in Washington. Lily and Carter both attend Central and are in third grade and first grade, respectively. Jeff works for the Regional Office of Education as the Superintendent for Woodford, Tazewell, and Mason Counties.
When not spending time in the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my family, exercising, swimming, playing soccer, listening to and playing music, singing, acting, dancing, and reading. I love white wedding cake, lilies, musical theatre, high heels, HGTV, Wisconsin cheese, the color pink, young adult fiction, and sleeping...zzzzzzzzz
If you're still with me, let's move on to my classroom management philosophy. :)
Classroom Management Philosophy
My classroom management philosophy is based on the idea that children are rational human beings with the ability to make decisions and the desire to succeed. When children understand they have the ability to control their behavior and therefore control (to a certain extent) the outcome of their interactions, they take responsibility for their actions and reactions in an effort become contributing, productive members of their community, which in this case is the classroom.
We learn our classroom rules and procedures on the first day of school and reinforce these rules and procedures as needed throughout the year. I teach my students that the choice - to control their behavior, to treat their classmates and me with respect, to always try their hardest - is always theirs, and I reinforce students' choices with appropriate positive or negative consequences.
I believe the arts play a significant role in education. From listening to music, singing, and dancing to drawing, painting, and sculpting, the arts help children develop and expand their sense of creativity and ability to express themselves. The arts also teach children understand and appreciate the beauty and diversity surrounding them. The arts have played a valuable role in my life, as through them I have met many of my own personal and professional accomplishments. I keep them with me always, and will bring them into the classroom by using music, movement, and drama in my lessons.
If you have questions or would like to talk, please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected].
Welcome to fourth grade, friends! Let's make this year a great one!
We learn our classroom rules and procedures on the first day of school and reinforce these rules and procedures as needed throughout the year. I teach my students that the choice - to control their behavior, to treat their classmates and me with respect, to always try their hardest - is always theirs, and I reinforce students' choices with appropriate positive or negative consequences.
I believe the arts play a significant role in education. From listening to music, singing, and dancing to drawing, painting, and sculpting, the arts help children develop and expand their sense of creativity and ability to express themselves. The arts also teach children understand and appreciate the beauty and diversity surrounding them. The arts have played a valuable role in my life, as through them I have met many of my own personal and professional accomplishments. I keep them with me always, and will bring them into the classroom by using music, movement, and drama in my lessons.
If you have questions or would like to talk, please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected].
Welcome to fourth grade, friends! Let's make this year a great one!