Mrs. Claire Alvarado

Lower school teacher Claire Alvarado has been an educator for 34 years. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, she has made ESA her home for 14 years. This year she is teaching fifth-grade language arts and social studies. Here’s our Q&A with Mrs. Claire:

I love the camaraderie between teachers, the enthusiasm to teach and learn, and the opportunity to facilitate children's growth and development.

I teach specific study skills and talk about the fact that studying is not a passive activity. We spend a great deal of time talking about how to be honorable and include specifics that support our Honor Code.

My favorite is a project about European Exploration. The students create a lapbook of information about that time period. They find facts about ten explorers from different countries and make digital trading cards, then create a foldable for the reasons for exploration. They find out what life was like at sea, they investigate and draw pictures of new tools of navigation and how they were used, and they create a mini book of Christopher Columbus and a timeline of exploration. I love this project because it teaches students to use a variety of resources, validate information found on the web, and learn about what it was like to be an explorer in the 1500's, and because they are proud of the final product.

I read, I swim, I make dolls and quilts with my mom. I love the beach, crafts, and photo books.

I love learning to do things that develop my creativity. I would spend time learning to paint and become a photographer.

ESA is home. My daughter (Elena, ’23) learned to advocate for herself, to be confident in her ability to communicate with peers and adults, to be an independent learner, and to be an honorable person. I have found my teaching people - a place where I am trusted to use my education and experience to benefit the children I teach. ESA is a place where the faculty room is filled with conversation about curriculum and excitement, and a place where creativity and passion are encouraged.