Ms. Gardner joined the 3rd grade teaching team at Saint Ambrose in 2016. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education (with a concentration in Language Arts) from DePaul University. She completed her student teaching in Chicago, where she worked in a 3rd grade classroom and as a 1:1 support teacher for a junior high student with learning needs. Additionally, she works at a summer camp called Celebrate Me Week. At CMW, campers spend the week with 7th graders and learn about enhancing their self-esteem and seeing their own self-worth.
Ms. Gardner credits her interest in education to having several family members who are teachers. She remembers spending summers helping her aunt set up her classroom, and could often times be found making her younger brothers play school with her! Once she got to college, she realized she wanted to teach and help students find their confidence, grow their minds and have fun.
She feels her teaching style can be summed up in three words – wonder, curiosity and interest. These are all qualities that she wants her students to learn in her classroom. Ms. Gardner believes in guided practice for students so they can explore their interests, express their creativity and take risks. She strongly feels it’s her role to help students identify their strengths, and she offers praise to students when they find ways to put those strengths to good use in the classroom. She firmly believes that teaching students to be leaders at this age will help set them up for success in all areas of their lives.
Ms. Gardner strives to create a welcoming, safe and comfortable environment in her classroom. She establishes rules and routines for students to follow, so they feel safe. She also loves to bring creativity into the classroom, including everything from lesson activities to décor. Her favorite thing about teaching in a Catholic school is bringing Jesus into all aspects of the classroom, not just Religion class. By teaching students to be better disciples in Christ, she feels students will grow in other areas of their lives. She also loves that Catholic schools have strong and supportive communities.
“Students end up teaching me much more than I can teach them! Every day, they teach me to be a better person – to be gentle, to be patient, and to love unconditionally.” – Bailey Gardner