Mr. Spicer-1st grade

My name is Ed Spicer and I teach first grade thinkers at North Ward Elementary. First graders are the BEST! As a first grade student from a poor, dysfunctional family, I know that learning to read in the first grade opened the universe to me and, perhaps, even saved my life. Teaching first grade is my way of thanking those teaching professionals that came before me.
I do my best work when student, family, teacher, and school are all working together. I feel fortunate to be at North Ward because the entire staff-from maintenance, to aides, to teachers, to administration-all focus on the best ways to produce great thinkers.

My master's from Grand Valley State involves diagnosing early reading and writing problems. This work is ongoing. My students are my best professors, but I still spend time researching ideas from Michigan Reading Association, the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association.
The toughest challenge in teaching, is connecting learning (be it math, science, social studies or language arts, or...) to my students' everyday world. If I could make sure my students understood just one thing, it would be that learning is something that people do everyday of their lives from birth until death, and not something that is limited to school alone. Learning is natural and it should be fun!

This page was last edited on: 08/16/2007 08:13 PM