Melissa Bogdan

I am a passionate person who loves to work with children, and who believes that there is a tremendous amount that I can learn from children as well as teach them. It is my job to make learning fun, to nurture the innate curiosity and inquisitiveness of children, and to help deepen their understanding of the world around them. It is most important that children feel valued and
respected as the unique and wonderful individuals that they are. As a teacher I can help build their self-esteem by showing that I value what they think, feel, and create. I like to ask their opinions, and then demonstrate to them that I have incorporated their opinions in the decisions that we have made together. Young children are just learning how to develop relationships and operate in the world as social beings. Part of my job is to help them develop the skills they need to successfully interact with others. I see myself as a guiding force who is a keen observer of the moods, feelings, and behavior of the children I teach. By recognizing and valuing the individual characteristics of each child, I can help that child build upon his or her natural abilities, and strengthen the areas in which he or she may struggle more. Working alongside the families, I will make sure the children I teach grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually during the time we spend together. As a Jewish educator I will teach Jewish values and practice while building a sense of a Jewish community in which we all will share.