Teacher: Mrs. Christiansen

I teach first grade in a Pre K-5 inner-city elementary school. My first graders come from a range of communities. Some children come from working class families, while others live in a low income, high crime area. Our school provides much more than an education for our students, as many also come seeking safety, a meal, and positive attention. A portion of our children receive two free meals at school everyday and cannot afford school supplies. Our students face more than their fair share of obstacles. Most of our students begin school lacking the necessary background and experiences to prepare them for a formal education. Even before the first day of kindergarten, a gap has formed between our students and their suburban counterparts. We work hard to fill in this gap by building self-confidence, creating healthy and safe environments, and providing lessons and experiences to ensure personal success. We also work to instill a lifetime commitment to literacy and learning.