Meet Walking Classroom Ambassador Tanya Robinson-Freeman. Mrs. Robinson-Freeman uses The Walking Classroom with her third through fifth grade health and physical education students at Union Intermediate School in North Carolina. She has worked in education for 14 years, and is starting her fifth year with The Walking Classroom.
What are your memories of yourself when you were the age of your students?
My love for reading is what I remember most.
What led you to become an educator?
I love learning, being educated, and educating others. I was a teacher long before I became one.
Share your educational philosophy in one to three sentences.
I believe every student is a learner and can be successful, and that a test score does not determine a child’s educational achievement(s). I think students should leave me/my class better than they were when they came into it.
School should be a place where students are excited to attend, so much so that they don’t want to be late or miss a day. Whatever it takes, I’m ALL in! I want my students to think about and ask, “What am I missing?”
What is your favorite content area/topic to teach? Why?
I enjoy teaching health, physical education, and science. I am fascinated with the human body and what it is capable of.
What is your favorite podcast or Walking Classroom memory and why?
I have a few favorite podcasts. If I had to choose, it would be either Heart & Circulatory System (Complete-#128, 4-#6, STEM-#31) or Dr. Christiaan Barnard (Complete-#154, 4-#20, STEM-#44).
What is your best teaching memory?
I would pull a rabbit out of my hat if I had to, but as we prepared for the EOG’s, I placed inspirational posters around the school. One of my students walked up to me to thank me for hanging the posters. She shared with me how the posters encouraged her to do well. I could see the look on her face; she was sincere. I do it every year now.
What advice would you give to a new teacher?
Practice self-care and carve out time to reflect and re-energize.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to read, do yoga, go for walks, or spend time with family.
Name something you’d like to cross off your bucket list.
I want to go to Africa.
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