My name is Marian O’Brien. This is my third year teaching first grade at Saint James School.  I considerate it an honor to teach in a Catholic environment.  

I have a BS in Fine Arts and Art Education, with a minor in Art History and Drama Literature from Hofstra University.  My Elementary Education credits were received post grade primarily at Providence College.

Over the past twenty years, my family has traveled throughout the country for my husband’s career opportunities.  Originally from the Boston area, we began moving in 1992. Our journey has taken us from Boston to RI to PA, to San Francisco, CA to MD, to PA, and to Northern Virginia. In one capacity or another, I have taught in each of these states.

My teaching experiences from a perspective as a pre-school, 2nd and 3rd grade teacher, in private, parochial, and public schools throughout these states, has opened my eyes to the unique educational diversity in grade curriculum and social skill developments between states. Furthermore, I’ve learned that teachers must take into consider that a child brings his/her personal experiences to the classroom each and every day.  

My CA teaching experience exposed me to the importance of modeling and teaching conflict resolution with students, something I consider one of the most important life-skills a child must own.  In addition, I learned taking the role of teacher-facilitator allows self-discovery for a child which builds self-motivation.

For seven years in MD, I had significant training in special needs education with Dr. Judy Bloomberg at  Ivymount School , Rockville, MD, as well as Lovas Theory training in austism with a psychologist from UCLA. These special need education has made me acutely aware that each child’s brain receives and interprets information across curriculums in its own unique way. Therefore, a multi-sensory approach to teaching is essential.

This summer, I was able to attend an Orton-Gillingham training program which also focused on a multi-sensory approach to learning. I can’t wait to incorporate what I’ve learned into my reading, phonics, and writing lessons this year.

In summation, I maintain the philosophy that children receive, interpret, and express information based on their schemata.  It is a teacher’s responsibility to learn each child’s uniqueness, meet his/her strengths and struggles, and challenge each child on their personal level. Spiritually, it is imperative that children learn they have been given a special talent by God; He has a plan for them. Their job is to learn, apply, and share that talent with His World. Children must understand the only way to achieve this is to build, day by day, a personal relationship with God.