This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Danbury Teacher's Playful Practices Honored

Carm Fernandes, of Morris Street Elementary School, wins teaching award.

The following article was written by Morris Street Family Resource Center staff Joshua Giannone (picture attached):

With the ever-growing popularity of video games, the Internet and other forms of entertainment, children are becoming increasingly distracted.  This can cause a significant impact on a child's academic career in regards to keeping them engaged in the classroom.  However, Carm Fernandes, a kindergarten teacher at Morris Street Elementary School, has employed various techniques to keep her students on task and excited about learning.  Her exemplary teaching style has not gone unnoticed.  Recently, Mrs. Fernandes was awarded with Stepping Stones Museum's Playful Practices in Teaching Award.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children, located in Norwalk, CT, annually acknowledges an educator for applying playful teaching methods to enocurage a child's learning.  The museum made the award available to educators in Connecticut and Westchester County.  Not surprisingly, Mrs. Fernandes was selected among all other nominees for the award.

Find out what's happening in Danburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Through her 33 years of teaching in the Danbury Public Schools, Carm has developed a teaching style that has her kindergarteners not only learning but having fun in the process.  Mrs. Fernandes' classroom may be one of the few places where you'll find children practicing writing in shaving cream and kissing their brains for a job well done.  Carm utilizes music, movement and rhyming in her kindergarteners' daily activities.  Her students can be heard singing their color words and performing alphabet aerobics.  Outside the classroom, Mrs. Fernandes has been known to quiet boisterous children in the cafeteria by having them sing "Going on a Bear Hunt" and volunteers for all Morris Street School events.

Teaching in a classroom like Mrs. Fernandes', where most students range in reading levels and learning abilities, is an immense task.  Not to mention, a large percent of Morris Street Elementary School students are English Language Learners.  This only adds to the difficulty.  Nevertheless, practices are continually modified to address a variety of needs.  This allows each student an equal learning experience.  Mrs. Fernandes' dedication and love for teaching is a true inspiration to all!  Morris Street Elementary School would like to congratulate her on winning this teaching award!

Find out what's happening in Danburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?