Sarah Gaunt
M.S. Elementary Education, DePaul University
Teaching Philosophy
Important skills I want to teach my students
In addition to being kind and considerate students, I want my third graders to use grit and determination to persevere through difficult learning tasks. Instead of giving up when a problem gets hard, I want my students to learn and use strategies to come up with a solution. The importance is not whether an answer is right or wrong, but that you try and give your best effort!
Teaching methods to reach these goals
In third grade, students have exposure to many different types of open-ended and “challenge” problems that encourage them to think critically about what is being asked. In most cases, there is not one correct answer; there can be numerous. Students will learn that there are multiple ways to approach and solve a problem. It is always amazing to see their problem-solving abilities flourish by the end of the year!
My favorite projects
My favorite project of the year is the Third Grade Marketplace. This is a project that students complete during an economics unit in social studies. This creative and hands-on project allows students to explore basic economic principles while creating their own product or service to sell in a marketplace. This is a newer project for third grade that will continue to build and excite students in the years to come!
What I like best about teaching at Seven Hills
My favorite part about working at Seven Hills is the wonderful community of colleagues and families that are also part of this school. An added bonus is that I am lucky enough that my children also attend a school with such an amazing learning environment. Seeing them around campus with their classes and teachers always puts a smile on my face. Everyone at Seven Hills makes this place truly special!