Staff Focus: Annette Thomas, First Grade Teacher, Forest Ridge Elementary School

Annette Thomas is a first grade teacher at Forest Ridge Elementary School as well as her grade level’s math leader. Thomas describes teaching first grade with, “I do a little bit of everything all day. Especially in first grade, a large part of my day is teaching children how to read, teaching children math, but I feel like another part of my day is building relationships with my students, modeling positive interactions and teaching children how to interact with one another.”

She wants her students to be able to proudly call themselves “math people.” “I think it’s important to be good at math,” Thomas said. “These kids are truly gaining conceptual understanding and can build upon it. They surprise me everyday, what they can come up with.”

Annette Thomas is a first grade teacher at Forest Ridge Elementary School as well as her grade level’s math leader. Thomas describes teaching first grade with, “I do a little bit of everything all day. Especially in first grade, a large part of my day is teaching children how to read, teaching children math, but I feel like another part of my day is building relationships with my students, modeling positive interactions and teaching children how to interact with one another.”

She wants her students to be able to proudly call themselves “math people.” “I think it’s important to be good at math,” Thomas said. “These kids are truly gaining conceptual understanding and can build upon it. They surprise me everyday, what they can come up with.”