Years ago, my three boys went to Orion, so it was exciting to get to come back in 2006, not as a volunteer, but as a teacher. Many children first learn to read in First Grade, so it’s an especially rewarding grade to teach. I like to share my love of nature, music, and different cultures with the kids in my class. We learn about birds and do nature drawings and observations in our fancy black journals. We sing a lot with our Music for Minors docent, Marianna, and together in class on our own; we learn songs from all different genres, and like to perform them. Each year, I look forward to learning about a new country along with the kids. We get started early, so by the time we present our country to all of the other classes, we really have a lot to teach them. We’ve “traveled” to Turkey, Vietnam, Switzerland, Panama, and Russia; this year, we’re traveling to Ghana. We also go on a lot of field trips to places like the San Francisco Symphony, Harley Farms Goat Dairy, Hiller Aviation Museum, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the San Mateo County History Museum, and the zoo. I feel so fortunate to work in a school with curious children, generous parents, and a dedicated staff.