Meet the Teacher
Hello! My name is Emily Cantwell and I am thrilled to be teaching grades 2-4 at Mt. Olive Lutheran again this year! It’s going to be a fun year full of learning and new adventures, and I can’t wait to see what the year has in store! This is my third year teaching at Mt. Olive and my love for the school and students only continues to grow! I truly enjoy getting to know each student and all the unique, wonderful personalities, strengths, as well as knowledge to be shared that God has given them. What a privilege! Getting to know each student individually and helping them reach their goals- academic and social- is my passion. I strive to help each child reach their greatest potential while instilling a love for learning and for the Lord.
When I’m not at school, I enjoy spending time with my 1-year-old daughter, Marlow, and my husband, Casey. I love to read, to explore, and to learn about pretty much everything!
I earned by Bachelor’s degree in elementary education with an emphasis on middle school science from Martin Luther College. After graduating from Baker in 2013, I earned my Master's in Special Education - High Incidence from the University of Kansas. I worked for 4 years in the Department of Special Education as a project coordinator working with multiple districts in Kansas as well as many states on comprehensive, integrated, three-tiered (Ci3T) models of prevention, early prevention for students at risk using behavioral screening instruments, and implementation of evidence-based behavioral interventions and classroom management practices.
I believe that communication is key! Please feel free to contact either me anytime.
When I’m not at school, I enjoy spending time with my 1-year-old daughter, Marlow, and my husband, Casey. I love to read, to explore, and to learn about pretty much everything!
I earned by Bachelor’s degree in elementary education with an emphasis on middle school science from Martin Luther College. After graduating from Baker in 2013, I earned my Master's in Special Education - High Incidence from the University of Kansas. I worked for 4 years in the Department of Special Education as a project coordinator working with multiple districts in Kansas as well as many states on comprehensive, integrated, three-tiered (Ci3T) models of prevention, early prevention for students at risk using behavioral screening instruments, and implementation of evidence-based behavioral interventions and classroom management practices.
I believe that communication is key! Please feel free to contact either me anytime.
What to expect:
I strive to create a positive, productive, safe, and faithful learning environment for all students. It's my passion to maximize student learning by differentiating instruction to meet the needs of every student. This is accomplished through rigorous instructional techniques as well as fostering an efficient learning environment implementing PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports). PBIS is a framework that takes an instructional approach to behavior, focusing on being proactive in discipline, rather than reactive. I will teach our students three expectations: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Give Best Effort at the beginning of the year. The school-wide expectations can be found on our resource page! Students will be instructed on how these expectations might look in different settings and will have the opportunity to practice them in the first two weeks of school with refresher practices after breaks. When students demonstrate these expectations throughout the day, they may be acknowledged for meeting the expectations. This may be in the form of verbal praise (e.g., “Thank you for being responsible by bringing your materials to the table”) or they might receive a ticket which they can use to buy items from the classroom store (e.g., special lunch with teacher certificate, select the brain break activity for the day certificate, read to kindergarten classroom certificate) or put into a classroom party jar. When the jar is filled, the whole classroom will get a small party (e.g., pajama party, movie and popcorn, lego party). The goal is to focus attention on expectations being meet, with prompts and practice for when expectations are not met. This keeps the classroom positive, and research has shown that when PBIS is implemented consistently as intended (with fidelity) it decreases disruptions, increases instructional time, and improves student social behavior and academic outcomes. For more information please visit: www.PBIS.org