Fabulous Fourth Grade
Our team contains over 80 years of teaching experience
Teach With Our Strengths
We used the book Teach with Your Strengths by Rosanne Liesveld and Jo Ann Miller.
Our certifications
Bilingual (Spanish)
ESL
Pedagogy
Gifted and Talented
Special Education
Music, Art, Physical Education
In addition, we offer FREE tutoring with a FREE hot meal to ensure student success.
Guadalupe Wilkinson (Fourth Grade Specialist)
Connectedness: I know that things happen for a reason. This is my way of functioning. I gain confidence from knowing that we are not isolated from one another or from the earth and the life on it. This feeling of Connectedness implies certain responsibilities. If we are all part of a larger picture, then we must not harm others because we will be harming ourselves. We must not exploit because we will be exploiting ourselves. My awareness of these responsibilities creates my value system. I am certain of the unity of humankind, I am a bridge builder for people of different cultures. I am sensitive to the invisible hand, I can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives.
Learner: I love to learn. The subject matter that interests me most will be determined by my other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, I will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for me. I am energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what
I have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered—this is the process that entices me. My excitement leads me to engage in adult learning experiences—yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables me to thrive in dynamic work environments where I am asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that I seek to become the subject matter expert, or that I am striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the “getting there.”
Empathy: I can sense the emotions of those around me. I can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are my own. Intuitively, I am able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective. I do not necessarily agree with each person’s perspective. I do not necessarily feel pity for each person’s predicament—this would be sympathy, not Empathy. I do not necessarily condone the choices each person makes, but I do understand. I hear the unvoiced questions.
I anticipate the need. Where others grapple for words, I seem to find the right words and the right tone. I help people find the right phrases to express their feelings—to themselves as well as to others. I help them give voice to their emotional life.
Belief:Ordinarily my Belief theme causes me to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics—both in myself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give me life meaning and satisfaction; in my view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide me with direction, guiding me through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all my relationships. My Belief makes me easy to trust. It also demands that I find work that meshes with my values. My work must be meaningful; it must matter to me. And guided by my Belief theme it will matter only if it gives me a chance to live out my values.
Context: I look back. I look back because that is where the answers lie. I look back to understand the present. From my vantage point the present is unstable, a confusing clamor of competing voices. It is only by casting my mind back to an earlier time, a time when the plans were being drawn up, that the present regains its stability. The earlier time was a simpler time. It was a time of blueprints. This understanding brings me confidence. I become a better partner because I understand how my colleagues came to be who they are. And counterintuitively I become wiser about the future because I saw its seeds being sown in the past. Faced with new people and new situations, it will take me a little time to orient myself, but I must also give myself this time.
Awards:
- Completed all coursework for a U.S. Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering. Tizimín, Yucatán, México 1981 - 1986
- Presidents List. The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College: Fall 2000, Fall 2001, Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Summer II 2003, Fall 2003
- Scholastic Excellence Award Spanish Translation Lower Division College of Liberal Arts April 2002
- Associates in Arts in Spanish Translation 2002. The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College
- Scholastic Excellence Award Early Childhood 4th Grade Bilingual Generalist Upper Division School Of Education March 2004
- Scholastic Excellence Award Geography Upper Division College of Science, Mathematics, and Technology March 2004
- Bachelor in Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies Magna Cum Laude May 2004. The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College
- TEA Proclamation 2005 State Review Panelist for Mathematics
- Teacher of the Year North Belt Elementary 2008-2009 and Humble Independent School District Finalist
- Teacher of the Year Bernice Hart ECP Elementary 2011 – 2012
- Member of Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society
- Sociedad Nacional Hispánica Sigma Delta Pi Capítulo Tau Chi
- Master Reading Teacher Early Childhood through 12th Grade
- My biggest and most challenging award has been being Candler, Guillermo, and Juan Alejandro’s mother. My three muchachos give me every day a reason to continue improving myself and looking at life with the perspective of three young, complex, stubborn, daring and amazing human beings.
Email: guadalupe.wilkinson@austinisd.org
Location: Room 101
Phone: (512) 841-2143
Ms. Marta Villa (Bilingual & Co-Team Lead)
Learner
Relator
Achiever
Maximizer
Input
One of Ms. Villa's strengths is her natural drive and determination. Everyday is a new challenge in her classroom. She is determined to instill in her students a love for learning and achievement by motivating them in creative ways. For example, students apply higher level thinking skills when solving pundles, analogies from their Math, Science and Reading vocabulary words, crossword puzzles, and by solving brain teasers. Students understand that they must demonstrate progress and improvement on a daily basis. She exposes her students to an educational attitude that can be acquired in an environment where the teacher models achievement on a daily basis.
Awards:
Teacher of the Year, Los Encinos Elementary, CCISD, 1993
Teacher of the Year, Los Encinos Elementary, CCISD, 1997
Teacher of the Year, Robertson Elementary, Round Rock ISD, 2004
Teacher of the Year , Caldwell Heights Elementary, Round Rock ISD, 2007
Teacher of the Year for Round Rock District, 2007
Email: marta.villa@austinisd.org
Location: Room 203
Phone: (512) 841-2133
Mrs. Isadora Day (ESL Teacher and Co-Team LEad)
Restorative: Mrs. Day loves a challenge and enjoys studying symptoms in order to find a solution. This talent proves to be invaluable in teaching because each child is different and learns in different ways. Her ability to establish relationships with her students paired with the restorative talent, allows her to think of innovative techniques to assist students.
Input: Because educational content is often abstract, Mrs. Day searches for tangible resources that might help students understand content better. She is a collector of many things (especially books), but also understands the importance of organization.
Achiever: One of Mrs. Day's favorite things about school is that every day is new and full of possible achievements. She strives to do more, and achieve more with her students. This is what makes her an excellent role model for younger generations.
Strategic: The strategic strength allows Mrs. Day to not only study student success, but identify areas of weakness and to develop action plans. She is deeply routed in a distinct way of thinking about her students' success, which helps her to accurately evaluate potential obstacles.
Empathy: Armed with intuition to sense the emotions of her students, Mrs. Day is able to see the world through their eyes. She understands the emotions and frustrations students experience while learning, and she is able to help them express themselves.
Awards:
2012 Teacher of Promise at Hart Elementary
2006 Co-founder and President of National Association of Hispanic Journalists (Austin Chapter)
2005 Top Journalism Student at Texas State; Chips Quinn
2005 President of the Society of Professional Journalists at Texas State
Email: isadora.day@austinisd.org
Location: Room 104
Phone: (512) 841-2100
Twitter: @DaysClass
Mr. Hector Gutierrez (Bilingual Teacher)
Achiever
Relater
Analytical
Individualization
Learner
As an achiever Hector has a relentless work ethic that allows him to grab everyday by the horns. There are no weekdays on his calendar, only STRONGdays. His need for achievement allows him to work through the long hours that are needed as an educator. Inputting long hours allows him to get the output he strives for with his students, bringing the cycle full circle and changing the world by creating ongoing generations of ACHIEVERS.
Achievements:
Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity
Email: hector.gutierrez@austinisd.org
Location: Classroom #207
Phone: 512-841-2131
Ms. Jordan Okruhlik (ESL Teacher)
(Pending)
Awards:
Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education
University of Texas at Austin Dean's List
Email: jordan.okruhlik@austinisd.org
Location: Room 201
Phone: (512) 841-2134
Mrs. Cristina Juarez (Spanish Dual Language Teacher)
(Pending)
Awards:
Dean's List St. Edward's University 2013-2014
Graduated Magna Cum Laude (3.72 GPA)
Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor's Society
Email: cristina.juarez@austinisd.org
Location: Room 205
Phone: (512) 841-2132
Ms. Lizeth Zuniga (Spanish Dual Language Teacher)
(Pending)
Honors:
Email: lizbeth.zuniga@austinisd.org
Location: Room 106
Phone: (512) 841-2124
Ms. Sherry Foster (Reading Interventionist)
Responsibility
Discipline
Achiever
Positivity
Harmony
Having the Responsibility talent means that I take ownership of anything I commit to. This talent helps me to respond to requests of others when they need assistance. I get satisfaction knowing that I can assist others when needed. I am serious and dedicated to my commitments
Achievements:
2001 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for Professional Women Educators
Email: sherry.foster@austinisd.org