Karen has taught in the RCSD for 36 years and is an amazing kindergarten teacher. She is patient, kind, and works hard to showcase each one of her students in positive and fun ways. Fun fact, her daughter also teaches kindergarten in the RCSD!
Name: Karen Tagliaferri
Title/School: Kindergarten Teacher at Stokes
How long have you worked in the RCSD: This is my 36th year of teaching and my 31st year in kindergarten. I have taught 1st, 2nd and 5th grade, but my heart has always belonged to kindergarten! This is my 27th year teaching at Stokes.
What do you like most about your job? I love that every year and everyday is a new adventure and that I have an opportunity to make a difference with 20 little humans in the course of ten months. I love being given the opportunity to nurture a child’s natural love for learning while helping them build self-esteem and encouraging them to believe in themselves and their ability to learn. I love watching them learn how to problem solve and watching their faces light up when they realize that because they learned those 26 letters and sounds that we practiced all fall, they can now read books and write stories!
What inspires me? My students! Every, single, day, they keep me grounded and remind me that the little things in life are actually the important things. They remind me that smiles and laughter are good for the soul and that both smiles and laughter are contagious! They inspire and require me to bring my “A Game” everyday and to foster a classroom where we can play, learn and grow together!
What is a fun fact about me? That in my 36 years (because I taught 2 sections of half day kindergarten for 11 years), I have taught approximately 1,000 students! My daughter, Alyssa (Szczerba) is also a kindergarten teacher at Bellamy elementary.
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