Lake Erie Preparatory School - Teacher of the Month - Mrs. Shellene Boze

Mrs. Boze - Middle School ELA Teacher at Lake Erie Preparatory School

"I didn’t choose education in the beginning, it was chosen for me.", says Mrs. Boze, the teacher of the month at Lake Erie Preparatory School; a K-8 charter school located in South Collinwood. Mrs. Boze is known for her abililty to effectively manage any classroom with quiet power, high expectations, and strong systems and routines. Mrs.Boze has been teaching for over 15 years and has been at Lake Erie Prep for three years now.  Mrs. Boze has achieved great success in improving student's reading comprehension and writing skills.  Teacher Assistant Jassmyn Hill caught up with Mrs.Boze to learn more about the skill behind the grace.

What are some of your reading strategies to keep your students engaged?

As a person who does not like to read, I try to make it fun.  I didn’t like it when I was a child and I struggled with it, but for the past twenty years it’s become a passion of mine.  My neighbor, Mrs. Williams, was a reading teacher and she taught me the tools and strategies on how to make reading fun and enjoyable for students. 

What do you do to accommodate a slower learner or a student with special needs?

It depends on the student.  I provide small group instruction, graphic organizers, peer tutoring and I give them extended time.  I give them a choice on which questions they want to answer just to give them a sense of pride in what they are working on. 

Describe your behavior management plan?

I’m very stern but fair.  I say what I mean and mean what I say.  I introduce myself and my style to parents so that we are on the same page.  When you’re honest and upfront with parents and students, they know what the expectations are and they usually meet them.  I don’t expect them to always meet the expectation but I reward them when they do.

How do you promote parent involvement?

I keep the parents involved at all times.  If there is an area that I am teaching and their child is not understanding it, I get the parent on the phone immediately so we can figure out what the issue is and how we can fix it because it is a partnership and we do this together.  When I know a parent isn’t as involved, I take the student on my own time to work with them.

Do you enjoy teaching?  If you were being observed, how would the observer be able to tell?

I love teaching.  My enthusiasm I give off during lessons, student engagement, the time I take to plan a lesson and how the lesson is executed, and the encouragement given to each student shows that.