Julie Kirby has spent her entire 14-year teaching career molding the youngest minds in her elementary school buildings. After eight years at Champaign’s Stratton Academy of the Arts, Kirby is now in her third year teaching at Kenwood Elementary School.
I find my work important because ... kindergarten is many children’s first exposure to school, and I want to set all the students I work with up for success. My goals are for our newest students to love learning, to explore something they are curious about and see school as a safe place to develop friendships. It is important to me to create a classroom space to support student success for all learners and celebrate all students’ wondering/curiosity.
I became a teacher because ... I played school as a child and always felt this was where I belonged. I work now to be the teacher I would want for my children. We explore art, learn new technology, have a unicorn visit and a royal ball. There is nothing quite like the magic of kindergarten, and it makes the hard work worth it.
My favorite or most unique lesson that I teach is ... building a community of learners in my classroom at the beginning of the year. My favorite thing is to build a space where students come together to make friendships, sing songs and learn how to collaborate and work together. Every year, the dynamics of my class are different, but the community we build is strong and hopefully impactful to each of them well past their kindergarten year with me!
My most fulfilling moments on the job are when ... we have kindergarten magic. When students work hard and master a new skill, when that light bulb goes off, it reminds me of exactly why I work in this role and why this is the place for me.
I keep students engaged by ... keeping students energized with play, engaging them in short bursts of activities and incorporating lots of fun! We become detectives and investigate the world around us, we explore numbers in our real world, and we follow the interests of the class! Making connections to our knowledge curriculum really pulls my students into our lessons.
Something else I’m passionate about is ... being a mom. I have two children; my youngest is in kindergarten this year.
My favorite teacher and subject to study in school was ... Mr. Franklin, Centennial High School, math. I had him for two semesters, and he influenced me to become a lifelong learner. He seemed passionate about what he taught and engaged with his students.
If I weren’t a teacher, I would be … A picture book illustrator.
— ANTHONY ZILIS