DONNA BENNARD
MEET DONNA BENNARD
Teacher. Reader. Learner.
Donna Bennard is a teacher who believes in holistic, research based learning and hands-on teaching. Drawing from thorough academic training, she navigates children through the rigorous Virginia Standards of Learning with engaging activities in a developmentally appropriate and positive environment.
BIOGRAPHY
In Brief
Donna Bennard is a passionate educator who cherishes working with children. She has a Bachelor of Education from Kansas State University and Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction, from the University of Texas, Arlington. Having previously taught kindergarten in Kansas and the Republic of Moldova, she is now happy to teach kindergarten at Rockledge Elementary in Woodbridge, VA. She has a love of reading and learning. In her personal time she likes to read, travel, write, paint and spend time with her family.
AUTHENTIC LITERATURE
Using Literature in the Classroom
MY PHILOSPHY
My philosophy of teaching revolves around using living books and hands-on learning to teach. Authentic literature is the best way to provide students with interesting, current information that relates to them. Hands-on learning makes the process of learning engaging while better enabling the knowledge learned to become implicit to the learner. I want to create life-long learners and readers.
AUTHENTIC LITERATURE DEFINITION
Authentic literature is sometimes called real books, living books, or trade books. Authentic literature is what you would typically buy at a bookstore or pick up from a library: books, magazines, comics, newspapers or graphic novels. NOT: workbooks, skill cards, text books and basal readers.
HANDS-ON LEARNING
Hands-on learning engages learners through their whole bodies. It motivates students and activates learning in all types of learners: kinesthetic, auditory, and visual. This can be done through all the content areas and is particularly helpful in integrating the content areas together to increase knowledge retention and student engagement.
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS
in no particular order. . .
Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Dogger by Shirley Hughes
The Gingerbread Man by Jon Alyesworth
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Syndak
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
A Weekend With Wendall by Kevin Henkes
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
The Sneeches by Dr. Seuss
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Jackson
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
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