Position: Elementary Teacher

College(s): University of Missouri-Columbia

Degrees/Certifications: BA Psychology with an emphasis in Child Development

Email: EmilyHall@rcs.edu

How did God call you into teaching, and/or what are your professional credentials (or prior work experience)?

I've always loved working with kids. I started babysitting when I was 10 as a mother's helper. I thought I wanted to be a Pediatrician when I went off to college, but God had other plans for me. I quickly decided I might like being Child Psychologist better. After graduating from college I got a job in a group home for foster kids ages 0-5 and then as a preschool teacher.  I come from a long line of teachers and I think working in the pre-school really made it clear to me that I wanted to teach. After I had my kids, I was blessed to be able to stay home with them and be with them until they went off to college. I coached teams they were on and helped out in their classes. I also fostered children and substitute taught in different schools. More recently, I worked at Woodroe Woods School in San Leandro as a co-teacher in Kindergarten and as a substitute teacher.

What motivated you to become a teacher at Redwood Christian?

My son went to Redwood from 7th grade on and is now an Elementary PE here. I love that we will be teaching alongside each other this coming year.  I love that I'll be freely able to discuss the love of Christ with the kids I'll be teaching. Working with my son and working alongside other Christians was a great motivator for me to apply for this job.

Tell us about your family and how they are looking forward to this new opportunity.

My husband is happy for me to be working with our son and for me to be at a school that has been a big part of our lives for the past 15+ years.  My son is the one that told me to apply for the job, so he is happy as well. It's a unique opportunity for us to share our work with each other.  We have coached together in the past and have similar philosophies about teaching and coaching. I also have a daughter that lives in Washington state with her husband and our three granddogs. They are all very excited for me to begin this new chapter.

What is a unique experience, talent or interest that you bring to your classroom to help shape the learning experience of your students?

I've traveled a lot and I think having exposure to different cultures and places makes me excited to learn even more about the world and help students see that they aren't the only ones in the world.  Not sure how often it'll come up in PE, but my traveling has impacted me and opened my mind to see things differently than I would if I hadn't traveled.

Do you have any other hobbies/interests outside of teaching?

Travel, photography, and I love the ocean and all animals on land and in the sea.

Our tagline is “Inspiring Futures.” How will a time you’ve been inspired shaped your teaching?

I'm inspired by the World Cup. The good and the bad. I love the different nations coming together and getting to know each other in a way that makes the world seem smaller. That we all are connected and are all God created humans that want to love and be loved. However, there is also a side where people will do anything to have their team win, even cheat, and as a Christ follower, I want to teach the kids that we can make winning an idol, we can make the accolades of winning at all costs more than what Christ might want us to do, which is all very applicable to PE and playing games or sports.