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Ms. Sunny is Back! “Stepping into STEM”
Hello Wonderful GVA Families,
Joining the GVA team this past fall as the Long-Term Substitute Art teacher was such an amazing experience. As I stepped into the role of “teacher” for the first time in a traditional setting, I quickly realized that the kids were teaching me just as much I taught them. We learned, we explored, we played, and we created!
Now, as I transition into the role of Long-Term Substitute STEM teacher, I cannot be more excited!!! Not only do I get to continue building relationships with the incredible Dragon students, but I also get to explore and inspire the amazing world of STEM with them!
While my background is in Art, I have a deep passion for learning and an innate curiosity that fuels my love for Science and exploration. I began my studies in Anthropology before transitioning to the Arts and I still feel like Science is a big part of my artistic practice.
While Mrs. Eliot is away, I will cherish the opportunity to explore STEM with your children and I look forward to fueling their curiosity toward understanding the extraordinary world
around them!
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or to simply say hello.
With gratitude,
Ms. Sunny
Sunny Rae Breland
Long-Term Substitute
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Long Term Sub for Ms. Yoly
Dear GVA families,
My name is Mari Hollingsworth. I grew up in Mexico City with Spanish being my native and only known language. At age 17 I moved to the United States, where my passion for language learning sparked. In my 20’s, I went on to obtain a B.A and a Master’s Degree in Spanish Language and Literature with a Minor in French from California State University Fullerton. In 2008, after finishing graduate school, I started my language teaching journey, teaching privately, one-on-one, ages 2 to 60. My main goal was to help my clients become fluent in Spanish by immersion, the most effective learning method in my personal experience. Five years later, I switched to teaching in the classroom setting and have been fortunate to teach Spanish grades kinder through 11th. I’ve highly enjoyed the energy students bring to the classroom and the many possibilities for fun learning we discover together daily.
I am super excited to be your long-term substitute teacher for 2nd grade at GVA. The learning model at GVA caught my attention for its effectiveness in helping students become fluent in the target language while developing a love for learning right from the start. I am committed to making all efforts to continue the fantastic work Mrs. Perez has maintained in the classroom and make it a smooth transition for our outstanding learners.
I look forward to meeting and cooperating with all of you. Thank you for your support and understanding during this transition.
Hasta pronto,
Mrs. Hollingsworth
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Madame Ginny Taking Over for Madame Precious
Coucou! My name is Madame Ginny and I am thrilled to be taking over for Madame Precious as the kindergarten and first-grade French teacher for the rest of the 2020-2021 school year!
My love for language began as a middle school student taking French for the first time. I was fortunate to take a trip to France in high school which solidified my decision to immerse myself in as much French language and culture as possible to truly master the French language. I majored in French at the University of Denver, where I spent a semester abroad studying at Université Lille 3 in the north of France. During my studies, I worked as a tutor teaching French to adults interested in learning for the first time and assisting students of all ages with their ongoing French studies. Upon my graduation, I taught English to French elementary school students for a year in Perpignan, near the border of Spain. After returning to the states, I taught for a few years at BridgeEnglish, a language school in Denver that hosts students from all over the world.
As a lover of language, French was my first real language pursuit and this led me to so many amazing opportunities. GVA's mission to unlock these opportunities for young children is one that I identify with deeply, and one that I am excited to be a part of!
With my broad experience teaching students of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds, I have been fortunate to work with students in all different walks of their language journey. Admittedly, I have always found working with younger learners to be the most fun as it gives me the opportunity to stretch my creative muscles and unlock the joy and laughter in language learning. As a language student and teacher, I have found that the biggest roadblock to success in the language classroom is fear of failure. Because of this, I have always striven to make my classroom a place where mistakes can be made and learned from, without fear of judgment. My favorite word to use in class is "try" (or "essaies" in French), and I always encourage students to make an effort, even if they're unsure of the right answer. Making mistakes is part of learning a language, and overcoming that fear is an important step to achieving that goal!
I am so looking forward to meeting all of the students and becoming a part of the GVA team.
Here's to a great start to a new year! À bientôt!
Madame Ginny