Emily Berkson

My name is Emily Berkson and I am applying for an elementary teaching position

with the Cincinnati Public Schools District. I Graduated from Knox College in
Galesburg IL, with a B.A. in Elementary Education in 2012. Since graduating I
have spent two years teaching in Galesburg Community Unit District 205, a district serving a
small but diverse community of 40,000 people. During my time with Galesburg CUSD 205 I
spent two summers teaching 2nd grade and then kindergarten summer school, one year as an
elementary information/media specialist, and one year as a 3rd grade teacher at King
Elementary. I am currently employed with Fayetteville Public Schools in Fayetteville, AR, a
university town of about 80,000 people. I have been working for FPS since 2014 as a 3rd
grade teacher at Leverett Elementary. I am an enthusiastic teacher who is dedicated to
creating meaningful, hands on, learning experiences for my students. It is my job to create a
safe learning environment where students are able to take risks, become good
problem-solvers, and critical thinkers.
My most recent position as a 3rd Grade teacher at Leverett Elementary has been a
challenging and exciting experience. Leverett is unique because, in addition to the regular
classroom responsibilities, Leverett teachers also write their own curriculum as a part of a
School of Innovation waiver that was awarded to the school in 2014. Each unit is
inquiry-based and follows the Problem-Based Learning model: leading students through
different lessons that provide them with tools to create a solution to a STEM design brief. I
have had the privilege of collaborating with my colleagues, my administrators, as well as
professors from the University of Arkansas Economics, Engineering, and STEM Education
departments to write a number of particularly engaging units. In one unit, students study how
humans work to adapt to the environment. Students begin by researching a specific natural
disaster and subsequently apply what they have learned to build a shelter that will protect a
person from that disaster. Once the shelters are built, students simulate their natural disaster
and test their shelter; afterwards students reflect on the success of their shelter and
brainstorm ways they can improve it. In our ELA block, students read the Odyssey and make
connections about how the Ancient Greeks dealt with and explained natural disasters with
their polytheistic religion.
My quest to become more proficient in implementing an inquiry-based classroom has also led
to me Lucy Calkins writing curriculum, the ECM math curriculum as well as a number of other
professional development courses in the facilitation of higher-level thinking. Using Lucy
Calkins method, I provide my students with tools and strategies to improve their writing and
challenge them to set goals, analyze their work, and problem-solve ways to apply what they
have learned to their writing. Using the ECM curriculum and teaching methods, I allow
students to use their own invented strategies to solve math equations. I facilitate meaningful
conversations in which my students engage with the properties of mathematics and evaluate
and share their work with classmates, leading them to a deeper understanding of the content.
In addition to studying Lucy Calkins and the ECM curriculum, last spring I took the initiative to
complete a professional development course through the Northwest Arkansas Teaching
Cooperative on ways to facilitate an inquiry-based classroom. With the guidance of my

instructional facilitator, I am also currently studying ways to use higher level assessments
in my classroom.
I understand the impact that inquiry-based teaching can have on student achievement, but
in order for it to be successful students need to feel safe and comfortable in their classroom.
Every year in the classroom I use Maslows hierarchy of needs as a guide to creating an
environment where students feel loved and valued and consequently are able to learn, grow,
and reach their full potential. I excel at creating an environment of respect and rapport in my
classroom. In the beginning of each school year I communicate to students that their
classroom family is a top priority, and spend the first ten days reviewing classroom
procedures and facilitating team building activities. Throughout the year, I implement weekly
community circle meetings. At these meetings students learn about and discuss various rules
from Ron Clarkes The Essential 55, as well as their worries, concerns, goals, and triumphs.
My philosophy about disciplining students is also conducive to a supportive classroom
community. I pull a lot of inspiration from the text Discipline with Dignity, a book I studied as a
part of my new teacher mentoring program with Galesburg CUSD 205 in 2013. The Discipline
with Dignity classroom management model promotes praising publicly and disciplining
privately as a way to promote respect between students and teachers. Using these
techniques, I have been able to manage even the most difficult students; including students
with serious mental health problems, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and anger management
issues. I consistently communicate to my students that I respect them, love them, and hold
high expectations for their learning and development as global citizens.
As I learn more about the Cincinnati Public School District, I find that my own goals and values
as an educator align perfectly with those of the district. I am eager to continue teaching, and
learning of new ways to impact my students lives, and am confident that Cincinnati is the
right place to continue those pursuits. If given the opportunity, I would be honored to be a part
of the Cincinnati Public Schools District.