Mrs. Stolz has had an impact on so many students at Andale Elementary School. She has always had a fun and entertaining classroom where kids learn important skills that will help them through the rest of their education. Stolz organizes many fun projects and activities for her 2nd graders to keep them engaged through the learning process. We sat down with Mrs. Stolz to learn more about her teaching philosophies, challenges, and the joy she finds in shaping young minds.

Q: How long have you been teaching?

A: This is my 11th year teaching at Andale Elementary School

Q: What do you like most about teaching 2nd grade?

A: 2nd graders are still eager to learn and come to school.  They also love to have fun and be silly like I do. 2nd grade is a pivotal year because students transition from learning to read to become readers. 

Q: How many students do you have in your class this year?

A: I have 22 students this year.

Q: What motivated you to become a teacher?

A: I have always wanted to be around kids ever since I was little.  I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher.  Helping kids learn is very rewarding and I live for those “ah-ha” moments. Plus, I do it for the big bucks!!  HA!HA!

Q: What are some morals and principles you try to teach your students?

A: RESPECT is a big one in our classroom along with honesty.  I try to remind the students to do the right thing when no one is looking.  We do a lot of cooperative learning so getting along with others and valuing their input.  Lastly, I  would say gratitude goes a long way in our classroom.

Q: What are some practical skills and abilities you try to teach your students?

A: Critical thinking and problem solving are huge in 2nd grade.  I try to let the 2nd graders think of  the answer to their question before giving the answer. Communication and conversation skills are also something we work on because we do a lot of partner work and collaboration in the classroom.

Q: How do you deal with bad behavior in your classroom?

A: Usually by having a talk with the student at their level and explaining the behavior and asking the kids how they can correct it.  It is important that both student and teacher are both regulated when discussing the behavior.  I rarely have issues in my classroom because the students know the expectations, and we go over them often.

Q: What is expected of your students on a day-to-day basis?

A:  Listening when someone is speaking is a big expectation in our classroom.  Treating our classroom like a community and having mutual respect for each other.

Q: How do you promote good behavior in your classroom?

A: We have a fuzzy system where the students can get a fuzzy if the whole class gets a compliment or behaves well.   Once the bucket is filled up with fuzzies, we then vote on a reward such as an electronic day.   Individually, I hand out quarters to the students if they are exhibiting good behavior.   At the end of the week, they can use this money to shop for prize box items.  This also helps with the counting money concept.  

Q: What are some interesting projects you’ve assigned?

A: I love our pop bottle biography project that we do in March. We also make leprechaun traps in Science using Simple Machines.  We make Native American dioramas, and celebrate the 100th day of school by eating 100 pancakes. 

Q: What can you tell us about the pop bottle biography project?

A: The students had to choose a famous person to read a biography book about such as “Who is Albert Einstein” then fill out a report and pop bottles on their character.  They learned interesting facts and what their person was known for.  We try to encourage the students to choose someone they are interested in or are passionate about. I have students from the past grades come up to me and remember who they had.  So this is one of those projects that will stick with the kids for a lifetime. 

Q: Any interesting/funny stories to share from your time teaching?

A: One time, I was trying to open a bottle of glue and tried squeezing it really hard.   I finally got it open but it exploded and got glue all over my hair, face, and shirt.  I had to teach the rest of the day with sticky hair and glue all over my clothes. 

As we end our interview with Mrs. Stolz, we are left to appreciate the passion and personality she brings to her career as an educator. Her creativity and dedication when it comes to teaching the next generation have a profound impact on all of the kids who pass through her classroom. She serves as a living reminder of the sacrifices and effort that teachers put into their jobs everyday. Thank you, Mrs. Stolz, for sharing your story and inspiring us all!