Teacher Appreciation Week: Tiffany McGrath at Kensington

Glens Falls City School District recognizes national Teacher Appreciation Week by highlighting committed and enthusiastic teachers from every one of our schools each day of the week! Read on for an inside interview with Tiffany McGrath—one of the most dynamic teachers around our district.

Mrs. McGrath teaches second grade at Kensington Road Elementary School. She's a "GF Girl," having grown up in Glens Falls -- attending Kensington and graduating from GFHS. She went to Plattsburgh State and got her Masters in Reading. She has been teaching in Glens Falls for 21 years: 19 of them at Kensington and 2 at Big Cross. 

"Mrs. McGrath exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding educator," says Kensington Principal Marissa Macey. "Her deep care for her students is evident in everything she does. What truly sets her apart is how passionately she advocates for her students, whether they need additional resources, a lesson retaught, or just someone in their corner. Her classroom isn't just a place of learning; it's a community where every child knows they matter. She consistently goes above and beyond by finding creative ways to make learning engaging for everyone."

What do you do to engage your students? What makes your teaching and learning style or environment unique?

I don’t think anything I do is unique, we are all here for the kiddos. However, I do connect with each student as soon as the year starts. That way I can build my lessons and activities around things they enjoy which gets them engaged. This is especially helpful with selecting reading material that interests them to help build the love of reading! It also helps with the math lessons. For example, if I have students that love hockey I can create word problems that talk about hockey players and spectators. I use their names (or their family members and pets) in questions…they always love that!

Why do you think it's important to teach the way you do?

I think it is important to build relationships with each child so they know they matter a you are invested in them and their learning. My students and their families know I care about them and this has a huge impact on how much effort the students put in and their wanting to be here at school each day. I strongly believe in building a classroom community and relationships with each other as well. For example, when it is a quiet work time and students start to get noisy, I remind them they are hindering their classmates' ability to focus. Or if they yell out an answer, they aren't letting their peers have a chance to use their brains. Having a strong classroom community also carries over onto the playground too. My students look out for each other and are held accountable so they don’t typically do hurtful things and are frequently bully busters. 

I set my expectations very high and my students rise to meet it. Being that I taught 3rd grade, I know the areas that I felt my students struggled. So as a 2nd grade teacher I push my students to be stronger in these areas so they are better prepared as I send them on. They leave me knowing their addition and subtraction facts (we master these the old school/personalized way with flashcards and through the Xtra Math program). I also have them restating and answering comprehension questions with proof and details. Setting the bar high definitely impacts my students' academic success along with their overall enjoyment and pride in themselves.  

Describe your best lesson ever, or one you and students really enjoy.

A favorite lesson is our end of the year project. The students complete a writing piece about how much they have grown this year. They describe how they have grown physically, academically, and emotionally. Then I trace each student and they make a life size paper version of themself to display with their writing piece throughout the KRS halls. This is such a great way to reflect on all the ways they have matured and show off how great their writing skills have improved. They also use Google Docs to type this piece which is something they also learned in 2nd grade.

What's the best thing about GF Nation?

I was a “Kensington kid” and graduated from Glens Falls. I loved it so much I decided to become a teacher and work here so I could pay it forward and make a positive impact on my students that the GF teachers made on me. I love working in a walking district. It’s great to see the family members at drop off and dismissal. The families are a HUGE part of what makes GF Nation such a wonderful community.