Alexandra
Kunz
Elementary School Teacher
Hello and welcome to my teaching portfolio! Let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Alexandra Kunz. I am a 24-year-old teacher and a life-long learner. I have been a swim instructor with The City of Calgary Aquatics and Recreation since 2014. This rewarding job gave me the opportunity to teach and connect with children, parents, and colleagues while providing me with the teaching experience needed to enter an elementary school classroom. I have spent seven years creating and delivering innovative long-range and single lesson plans, formatively and summatively assessing participants of a variety of ages, writing report cards, and conferencing with parents. During my time working as a swim instructor, I focused heavily on my studies in hopes of one day receiving a Bachelor of Education degree. I graduated from St. Francis Highschool in 2015 and could not wait to begin my post-secondary education at St. Mary's University. In the fall of 2015, I began my 4-year undergraduate degree in a Bachelor of Arts program with a major in English and a minor in Psychology. Throughout my studies, I spent my free time writing poetry and during the final year of my degree, two of my poems ("Jessica" and "You Know Who You Are") were published into St. Mary's University's creative writing anthology Sightlines. I graduated in 2019 with a 3.8 GPA. From there, I could finally pursue my childhood dream of becoming a teacher. Due to St. Mary's University's reputable Bachelor of Education (Elementary) program, I knew that this was the post-secondary institution to help me achieve a degree in something I am so passionate about. Two years later, here I am. A Bachelor of Education (Elementary) graduate with a 4.0 GPA, proudly holding a degree that certifies me to inspire and educate the minds of future generations.
Teaching Philosophy & Pedagogy
My teaching philosophy revolves around the notion that all students feel supported, included, and loved regardless of their learner profile or life experiences. I firmly believe that in being a teacher, I can be a stepping stone towards my students achieving greatness and changing the future of our world. The foundation of achieving this, however, is based on a teacher's ability to create meaningful relationships with students. What, then, does "meaningful" entail? To me, a meaningful relationship is one that is nurtured and respected. In order to nurture and respect a relationship, I need to be a support, a resource, a fresh perspective, a cheerleader, a coach, a guide, a liaison, a supervisor, and a friend to my students. In return, I expect two things: respect and a will to achieve. Though I may not always receive these two things initially, it is my intrinsic job to instill both of these qualities in my students in the time I spend with them. In short, I do not want my students to simply be academically successful, I want them to be successful in character, intellect, and heart.
Contact Me
Please contact me if you want to discuss any inquiries or pose any questions regarding the teaching profession, my pedagogy, my lessons, or my education and qualifications.