Erin Christensen, third grade teacher, Audubon Elementary

Kudos to Erin Christensen, Lake Washington School District’s “Staff Star” for April 2011.

If you walked into her classroom, you might not guess that Erin Christensen is only in her third year of teaching. Students in Erin’s class have the benefit of a teacher who is actively involved in the school and who works to make each child in her class feel important and valued. She makes strong efforts to get to know each of her students on both an academic and personal level. She differentiates her instruction to meet each student where they are.

Erin has been a proactive staff member since arriving at Audubon. She has advised the school’s student council, helps to coordinate the volunteer tea, represents teachers on the PTSA, and does so much more.

She is now in her third year as the coordinator of the school’s greenhouse, where third grade students “buddy” with kindergarten students to plant different items in the garden and then pick them together. Some of the items even make it to the school’s cafeteria to be served with lunch. The school has noticed an increase in the number of students who will eat lettuce or other vegetables on days where they are featuring items picked from their garden. “Students are encouraged to eat more vegetables on those days because they grew it themselves,” said Erin.

Last school year, Erin co-wrote a grant to the PTSA to get a leveled library placed at her school. Teachers are now able to pull complete book sets to help differentiate reading for all students. She received the grant money and spent the summer and fall working to put together the library, complete with a book room for guided reading.

Every other Friday, Erin has a cooking lesson with her class. They work together to make healthy snacks. Her students then write recipe cards. They put the cards together in books to give to their moms for Mother’s Day. She has also worked with the principal and PE teacher to put together a nutrition unit for her students.

With both Earth Day (April 22) and National Poetry Month in April, there seemed no better fit than to recognize Erin as the Staff Star for the month of April. At a visit to her classroom last June, visitors watched as her students harvested lettuce from their garden and then wrote poetry that was inspired by the different plants that they saw. Some students chose to write about the color, shape or feel of the lettuce leaves, while others chose to write about other fruits and vegetables in the garden, like strawberries.

According to Karen Dickens, principal at Audubon, “Erin is enthusiastic and has a ‘can-do’ attitude. She has a bubbly personality and takes an active leadership role in our school.”