Staff Spotlight: Special Education Teacher Jamie Schantz Empowers Students Through Creative Curriculum
On any given school day, students who walk into Special Education Teacher Jamie Schantz’s classroom are met with books, blocks, activity boxes, and even a full-blown obstacle course assembled on the week’s topic.
Jamie began her tenure at Marcus Avenue Preschool in the fall of 2023. In her ten years of teaching, Jamie has worked with students from kindergarten to first grade. Now in her second year at the school, Jamie has settled into a classroom dynamic that works well for both her team and her students.
“I’m trying to get them to establish a great feeling about learning and school,” said Jamie.
The Creative Curriculum
Miss Jamie implements the Creative Curriculum in her classroom. The Creative Curriculum is all-encompassing, including language, mathematics, science and social-emotional learning. She also incorporates open play periods during the school day where students are encouraged to exercise freedom of choice, work on socialization skills, and build independence.
Miss Jamie and Teacher Assistants Flo Andron and Maria Giansante are always available to students if they need help. This can come in the form of modeling language with phrases like “open please,” or offering hand-over-hand assistance, such as helping students with scissors and glueing when working on crafts.
“We meet them where they are,” said Jamie. “We scaffold the learning and model for the children when they need help.”
According to Marcus Avenue Preschool Director Paula DeVita, Jamie fosters a supportive environment for both students and their families.
“What I love most about Jamie’s classroom is the way in which she nurtures each child,” said Paula. “She creates a welcoming classroom community where her students feel safe and secure, and they thrive! We are lucky to have her on staff.”
For Jamie, one of the most enjoyable parts of her job is helping students work on their social-emotional behavioral goals. When working on social-emotional strategies, Jamie and her classroom assistants teach students how to initiate play, make new friends and work on essential skills like waiting one’s turn and sharing.
From the beginning of the school year, Jamie noticed her students are now more comfortable with classroom routines and interactions with their peers, which brings her joy.
“I get so excited to come to work every day,” Jamie said. “We go home, we see our family, we go back and get to do it all over again.”