Perth Amboy elementary teacher Lauren Marrocco recognized for 2012-13

EDISON…Collaborating with colleagues and creating a family atmosphere in the classroom have been keys for 2012-13 New Jersey Teacher of the Year Lauren Marrocco, a Perth Amboy elementary school teacher. Each day in her fourth-grade classroom starts with a morning meeting where students interact, shake hands and learn to make eye contact, then share about their home lives to work through any problems. “My goal is to creates a safe, secure environment for learning,” said Marrocco.

“Having a focus on character-building has made a huge impact on how my students relate to me and one another,” said Marrocco, who got the idea for morning meeting from a colleague’s professor. Marrocco embraced the concept and found it helped build healthy relationships. “Unless you make a personal connection with each and every child in the classroom, the desire to learn won’t be as intense because students respond to relationships that are meaningful for them,” said Marrocco.

More>>