Courtney Fox

Brandywine School District
Mount Pleasant Elementary School—Grade 1
 

Educational History:
University of Delaware
- B.A. in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education
-  Master-level coursework in Gifted Education
Fort Hayes State University
-  Master-level coursework
National Board Certified Teacher

Ten Years Teaching Experience

The decision to be a teacher took place even before I entered school.  I believe that some things are just meant to be and teaching was the only path I ever considered.  My 2^nd grade teacher, a Delaware Teacher of the Year, showed me how much fun school could be when you think outside the box.  Another inspiration came from my grandmother.  Her model of dedication, kindness and fun subconsciously guided me to look at children and see their hidden potential.

Philosophy of Teaching:  “In caring for each and every child I meet, I can honestly say that my first reaction is always as a mother.  For the first 7 years of my teaching career, I honed my skills.  I learned how to teach emergent readers the strategies they need to become readers; how to immerse children in the writing process; how to make math the fun and engaging subject it should be; how to engage students in the scientific process; and how to facilitate conversations that extend thinking in all subject areas.  Then, I became the mother of two amazing boys.  The combination of these experiences has made me the teacher I am today.  As I work with children, I am always thinking, ‘If this were my son, how would I want his teacher to respond?’  This forces me to react to children in a way that is always respectful, firm and kind. When two kids are having trouble settling an argument, I help them develop the strategies they will need to solve the problem if they encounter it again; when a student is having difficulty with a particular skill, I take the time to work with them and develop alternative ways to help them learn, and when I have a few spare minutes, I use that time to just sit with kids, listen to them talk, and get to know about them both as students and as people. The joy, generosity, and love that radiate from children give me hope for the future and energizes my spirit.  I leave every day excited about the next and am so glad that his is how I have chosen to spend my life.  During the school day, and actually long afterward, I think of them as ‘my children’ and I care about each of them very much!”