All Saints Teacher of the Year

NAME: Ellen Hinderman
SCHOOL: All Saints
GRADE/SUBJECT: Second Grade
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 30 years at All Saints--all in the second gratde!

What made you decide to start teaching? 

I always loved working and being with kids, but I believe God nudged me onto the path of teaching. I had an offer to work for the FBI in Washington, DC and thought that sounded pretty cool and couldn't wait to get there. In my heard, I felt that was probably not the job for me, so I acknowledged that nudge and off to college I went to become a teacher. 

What kind of transformation have you seen in kids from the first day of school to the last day of school? 

On the first day of school, I have seen a range of emotions from tears, shyness, wonder
in their eyes about what the new school year will be like, and excitement about being a big kid now that they are in second grade. On the last day of school, I have seen some cautiousness about moving onto third grade yet a confidence and eagerness to continue on their journey with a promise to come back to the second to say hi and get and give a hug. 

Describe the importance of a prayer life in relation to teaching.

I attended Catholic school from first through twelfth grade and knew the importance of praying throughout the day with kids. As a teacher, I found how important it was to have that quiet one on one time with Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit not only before and after school, but throughout the day. In the morning, asking Jesus to let me see the kids through HIs eyes; in a moment of stress or not knowing what to say invoking the Holy Spirit to help me with this situation or give me the words to say, and thanking God the Father for putting me in this position to share my faith with these little ones. I have also found how important it is to go to confession and use the grace from this sacrament when you don't think you have any patience left in your body and because of that grace given in the sacrament you are able to continue. 

Why do you enjoy teaching at a Catholic school? 

I enjoy teaching at a Catholic school becuase we can go to Mass, pray together not only at the beginning and end of the day, before and after lunch, but kids at any time asking for prayers for their families, classmates, pets. A great joy of being in a Catholic school and teaching the second grade is helping prepare the kids for their First Reconciliation and FIrst Communion. We also talk about and figure out how a second grader can be of service to others. We can also learn about the saints and how they may have made mistkaes, messed up at times, yet followed a path of virtue and how they can intercede for us. It is awesome to have priests visit our classroom, too! 

How do you cultivate positive relationships with your students and create a sense of class community? 

I believe positive relationships are cultivated with my students by recognizing and telling them they are all special because God created them and because of this how we should treat otheres. I talk to them about how they are the big kids on the playground now (during our lunch recess time) and how the first graders look up to them during lunch when it's time to pray and on the playground when the bells ring at noon for us to stop and pray. We talk about holy moments where they may do a kind act without expecting praise, smiling at another student who seems sad or lonely and how their holy moment can be an aswer to someone's prayer. They come to learn that as they help each other out, when doing holy moments, they find that these little things are truly being of service to others. This creates a sense of community for them as well. When I hear one student say to another that they can get in front of them in line, I know they are beginning to look out for each other and our class community is getting stronger. 

CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO THE SFOA TUITION ASSISTANCE TRUST IN HONOR OF ELLEN HINDERMAN.  DONATE HERE TODAY.