Educational Philosophy
William Butler Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Kindergarten is an incredibly busy place. Children are working and moving, growing physically, academically, emotionally and socially. It may look to others that as a kindergarten teacher I am “filling pails” all day, but I know that in reality and more importantly I am indeed “lighting fires” to get children excited about learning. Each child is a unique individual capable of learning and achieving. I believe that my job as a teacher is to help each child develop to his or her full potential by finding and building on each child's strengths. Children learn best by doing, so my classroom is full of hands-on activities where children are engaged and invested in their own learning. Young children need to be active and interact with each other. Our classroom is a place where students know that we can all work together and respect each other so that everyone is successful. When this happens the children's fires are lit with excitement about learning.

"Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten."

B.F. Skinner

"How to tell students what to look for without telling them what to see is the dilemma of teaching."
Lascelles Abercrombie

Educational Training
Masters of Arts, University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, Colorado 1991
Curriculum and Instruction, Reading and Writing Education

Bachelors of Arts, Capital University, Columbus, Ohio 1983
Elementary Education, Summa Cum Laude, Honors Program Graduate
Minors: Learning and Behavior Disabilities, Reading, Professional Writing

Maryann.Lillis@dcsdk12.org

Mrs. Lillis' Website

Educational Experience
August 1989-present: Kindergarten Teacher, Northridge Elementary, Douglas County Schools
March 1985-June 1987: 1st and 2nd Grade Teacher, Arrowhead Elementary, Cherry Creek Schools
October 1983-July 1984: Substitute Teacher, Cherry Creek Schools