Teacher of the Month ⼁ Introducing Tracia S.
At Pacific Preparatory, we are so lucky to work with the most thoughtful and inspiring instructors, all who bring lessons to life with engaging connections to student interests and their community. This month, we are pleased to celebrate Tracia, whose outside-the-box teaching reaches through the screen to create an interactive, hands-on experience for our young learners.
Tracia graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Journalism and a minor in English. She holds a Montessori teaching credential and a Masters in Education from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, with a specialty in reading instruction. She has been an early childhood teacher for 27 years. After many years of experience in the elementary classroom, Tracia was invited to join the prestigious faculty of a MACTE accredited training center as both an instructor and field consultant. She was the Executive Director of Clear Lake Montessori School for more than three years. She believes in language-based, integrated learning in the early childhood classroom. With Pacific Preparatory, Tracia tutors all elementary subjects and specializes in supporting students with early literacy. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cycling with her husband on their tandem bike, riding with their local bike team, backpacking, and cooking.
What do you enjoy most about teaching with Pacific Preparatory?
I love the freedom to follow my teacher intuitions. I value the trust and support I feel from the PacPrep team to create lesson plans that are truly child centered and specific to meet the needs of each student. I naturally think "outside of the box" and PacPrep doesn't make me stay in a box to teach!
What is one of your favorite lessons you’ve taught?
Sending live caterpillars to students has been such a fun, concrete experience! At first, I thought teaching virtually, that I would not be able to have these kinds of experiences with students. Working for PacPrep has totally dispelled that myth!
Can you tell me about a specific time when you saw a student thriving at Pacific Preparatory?
I teach a child with ASD who, until recently, avoided all things math and did not think she was capable in this area. We have worked a lot on her growth mindset for the past year, celebrating small successes with her math lessons, emphasizing process over product. Recently, she exclaimed to her mom that math was her new favorite subject!
What is your favorite activity to do outside of teaching?
I love cycling and backpacking. My husband and I have been cocaptains of a small bike team for many years to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. We have a tandem road bike named "Pip" (she squeaks when we come to a speeding halt) he gave as a surprise wedding gift. We participate in the MS150 bike tour each year. This is a 2-day, 150 mile+ event to raise money for MS research. We originally began doing this as a fun way to socialize and exercise. Later, we met many people with MS and also became lifelong friends with them.
Tracia, we and your students are so lucky to have you on our team! Congratulations on being our Teacher of the Month!