Lessons from the Field: Interview with Kim Taylor-DiLeva

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Kim Taylor-DiLeva, a teacher of 12 years, started out teaching elementary school. Now, she occasionally teaches preschool sign language classes, but mostly to train teachers through inservice workshops.

What inspired you to teach?

I wanted to make a difference – to help children to succeed.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

Showing them where they need to go (the end product) and breaking down in little steps so that they feel like they are achieving something and are getting closer to the end result. Sign language is a great way to help children to achieve their goals if they are language arts related – learning vocabulary words, learning to read, etc.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

I wish I had known about the benefits of using sign language in the classroom – to help improve classroom management and also as a way to help struggling learners and special needs children have another way of using a visual and kinesthetic method to learn.

What did your training teach you that was most helpful in preparing you to enjoy and thrive in a classroom today?

That children learn in different ways so to use as many methods, varieties of instruction that you can. Teach through unit study so that children are learning about a topic through science, history, language arts, etc. at the same time.

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.