Member of the faculty since 2020

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Niki has a real gift for making kids feel known. She takes the time to get to know each student- what makes them laugh, what gets them excited, what feels hard, and what helps them feel confident. Her classroom is a place where kids can be themselves, take chances, make mistakes, and try again.

Niki believes that school is about more than academics. Of course, her students learn a lot, but they are also learning how to be kind, thoughtful, resilient people. She talks often about having a growth mindset and helps students see that not knowing something yet is actually a pretty exciting place to start. Mistakes aren't failures in Niki's classroom; they're part of figuring things out.

She also uses the Superflex curriculum to help students understand their own brains and learn how to navigate the many social challenges that come with being a kid.

Niki brings a lot of warmth, humor, and heart to her classroom. She has high expectations for her students, but she also knows that learning doesn't always happen in a straight line. Sometimes you need to try again, ask for help, take a break, laugh about it, and give it another go.

At the end of the day, Niki isn't just teaching her students how to read, write, think, and solve problems. She's helping them learn how to be good humans, take up space in the world, and keep growing into the people they are becoming.

Education

MA, Educational Leadership, WMU