Kate Tiger
Before joining the teaching team, in 2016, Kate had been a part of the Paddington family in one way or another since 2011 – first as a parent, and also as a substitute and a summer camp teacher. Kate has her Master’s in Education and Human Development with a concentration in Early Literacy and she completed the Stanley Teacher Prep Program in 2015. Outside of work and school, Kate stays busy raising her two boys. She loves going on family adventures big and small, learning something new, getting lost in a good book, and writing an occasional story of her own.
The short answer is that teaching brings me a lot of joy. And isn’t life sweeter when we love our work?
There is also a longer, more complicated answer to the question of why. My desire to teach really started when I first became a mom ten years ago. I fell in love with sharing the journey of learning and discovery with my own child. When he started preschool (at Paddington), I was enthralled with this entire community of little explorers and learners, and with the teachers who supported and learned alongside them. It was at this point that I decided to go back to school and change careers. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Even though I’ve learned much about theory and pedagogy in the years since, I still look at teaching largely through the lens of a mother. I want to create a safe and nurturing environment for children to explore and grow. I want to delight in their discovery of the world and learn alongside and from them. I want to celebrate them as unique individuals. I want to share the organic learning experiences that only happen when you form a relationship with a child.
Relationships are at the core of what we do as teachers. Not only do I immensely enjoy my interactions with children, but I also enjoy partnering with families and colleagues. I feel a part of something bigger. I think it is that proverbial “village” it takes to raise children. I am honored to be a part of that because I believe it is vital work.
One final word…I am excited to be back at Paddington, once again a part of this particular community of teachers and learners, back at this place that excited and inspired me to teach, alongside some of the same wonderful teachers that nurtured my own
child years ago.
There is also a longer, more complicated answer to the question of why. My desire to teach really started when I first became a mom ten years ago. I fell in love with sharing the journey of learning and discovery with my own child. When he started preschool (at Paddington), I was enthralled with this entire community of little explorers and learners, and with the teachers who supported and learned alongside them. It was at this point that I decided to go back to school and change careers. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Even though I’ve learned much about theory and pedagogy in the years since, I still look at teaching largely through the lens of a mother. I want to create a safe and nurturing environment for children to explore and grow. I want to delight in their discovery of the world and learn alongside and from them. I want to celebrate them as unique individuals. I want to share the organic learning experiences that only happen when you form a relationship with a child.
Relationships are at the core of what we do as teachers. Not only do I immensely enjoy my interactions with children, but I also enjoy partnering with families and colleagues. I feel a part of something bigger. I think it is that proverbial “village” it takes to raise children. I am honored to be a part of that because I believe it is vital work.
One final word…I am excited to be back at Paddington, once again a part of this particular community of teachers and learners, back at this place that excited and inspired me to teach, alongside some of the same wonderful teachers that nurtured my own
child years ago.