Photo: Mrs. Moyer’s air resistance experiment
Carole Moyer is a 3rd grade teacher at Owatin Creek Elementary School in Exeter Township. She loves helping her students support one another while learning and discovering new things.
Favorite thing about being a teacher? “Since the time I was a student I had teachers who created a special, exciting place to be. I always knew that could be incredible if I could do that everyday. I absolutely love the freedom to use one’s creativity to make children’s days exciting, engaging and fun! A teacher has opportunities everyday to show each child that he or she each has special talents. I think there’s nothing better than that!”
How have you kept students engaged online? “My school district, Exeter Township, encourages us to create videos and live meetings where the children see their teachers and feel a sense of normalcy, which is essential now. I feel the best way to engage third graders is to immerse them into activities where they observe, question, and discover! In my favorite lessons I show the children how to use regular household items to do fun science experiments like lava lamps, naked eggs, pepper and color scrambles, bird feeders, and parachutes. Through these activities they learn about chemical reactions, natural science, animals, and air resistance. Parents have been incredible, allowing children to mess up the kitchen in order to do science! The photos students and parents send me really add to my sense of fulfillment because I see that excitement and smiles, I miss so much and that I had usually seen in person! All the third grade teachers I teach with at Owatin Creek Elementary have divided up the subjects to create these personal lessons that are fun, engaging, and the best of what we each love to teach. I enjoy watching my teammates find that creative spin on a math competition, new challenging budget lessons, content rich nonfiction, and active ways to dive into word study!”
Fun activities and moments? “Young students and their parents have really been impressive as they have learned to use a platform which is new to them. Our lessons, assignments, quizzes, resources, and discussions are posted on Schoology online. To maintain essential social connections and relationships, all our teachers hold class meetings through GoogleMeet. Here we have fun and gather to support each other and laugh together! We have discussed Hot Topic Questions, told jokes, gone on scavenger hunts, shared our pets and favorite stuffed animals, acted out charades and “Guessed Who” with our baby pictures! My principal, Christy Haller, guidance counselor, Diana Ricci, learning support teacher, Nicole Angstadt, and instructional aide, Deb Gellert, have attended almost every meeting. The children have told us they miss us and we have definitely missed them too! I believe they know how much we think about them and how proud we are of them!”
What do I miss the most about the classroom and look forward to in the future? “I miss the positive feedback, help and guidance I can give immediately in school to a child. Through distance learning that happens more through an email, phone call, electronic comment, or a conference online. So it is somewhat delayed. I look forward to when I can feel the enthusiasm from students in real time, back in our classroom- a place where we share our class pets, where we feed the birds, where their work hangs on the walls and everyone is together.”
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