TEACHERS
OF THE
YEAR SARAH SALADINI
THIRD GRADE
TEACHER AT OLD
BRIDGE ELEMENTARY
IN WOODBRIDGE, VA
and they love teasing me
about my fear of cats and
clowns. NOMINATED BY:
LAURIE M.

What makes you excited
to go into your school
each day?
I get so excited to see my
students’ smiles, receive
their hugs and I enjoy the
opportunity to interact
with past students. I
love the energy and
excitement they bring
each day. Seeing the look
on a student’s face the fi rst
time he or she really “gets”
a concept, or witnesses a
new experience is a very
rewarding feeling.

“Sarah goes above
and beyond the
classroom. She
gets involved in all
the events of the
school along with
knowing each child
personally and their
needs. She makes
learning interesting
and is known by
most who go to the
school. She’s a very
active mother of
two children, has
been on the board
of the homeowners
association where
she lives, helps her
extended family out
without question and
does a top notch job
in her classroom. She
never allows anything
to get in her way and
has even conquered
her own personal
situations and goals
with a smile on her
face; never to be
defeated!” SPONSORED BY:
Seeing the
look on a
student’s face the first
time he or
she really
“gets” a
concept, or
witnesses a new
experience is a very
rewarding feeling.

Why do you think
teachers are important?
Teachers play an
important role in shaping
26 August 2017
washingtonFAMILY.com What advice would you
give to aspiring teachers?
our future society. We
work to help children with
academic performance,
but we also help guide
them to make meaningful
choices for success in
life later on. We focus on
real life concepts of what
we learn everyday and
how it applies to their life
currently or how it could
apply later.

What is the single best
piece of advice you can
give parents of third-
graders? Be involved. Ask your
children about their day.

Check their homework
and go over assignments
when they come home.

Talk about activities as
you do them, like cooking,
traveling and watching TV.

What’s your funniest
teaching moment?
My third-graders keep
me laughing all the time.

We enjoy trading jokes
Refl ect. You’ll never
become better at what
you’re doing if you don’t
refl ect and make changes.

None of us are perfect, but
we all have the same goal.

Refl ection will allow you to
grow as a teacher.

What are three things
you use in your
classroom everyday and
could never live without?
Technology, books, and
class rules.

Do you have any tried
and trusted ideas or
activities for motivating
students? A class economy has really
motivated my students
as they can earn rewards
like getting to have lunch
with a teacher or being
able to sit anywhere they
want in the room. It also
helps with math skills and
economic standards all
year long.