Teacher Tuesday - Mary Andrea Gingrich, EC Adaptive Teacher at Burgaw Middle School! 🌟📖 With six years of teaching experience, Mary Andrea Gingrich has dedicated her career to supporting students with disabilities in her EC Adaptive classroom at Burgaw Middle School. Her passion for this work was sparked in high school when she took an elective that allowed her to spend time in a self-contained classroom. That early experience ignited her desire to work with students with disabilities, and her student teaching at Malpass Corner Elementary solidified her calling to combine that passion with classroom teaching. Mary Andrea's favorite subject to teach is social skills and communication. She finds immense joy in helping students—whether verbal, non-verbal, gestural, or using sign language—connect and communicate with the world around them. Watching her students care for and interact with one another is a constant source of inspiration. These moments, filled with love and compassion, are some of the most rewarding parts of her teaching journey. 💬💞 Outside of school, Mary Andrea enjoys spending time with her friends and family, soaking in the natural beauty of her coastal home, and frequenting the beach. Her hobbies include reading, taking cycling classes, and paddle boarding. 🌊🚴♀️📚 At home, she shares her life with Penelope, her loyal, sassy, and playful pug. Her love for pugs carries into her classroom, where she enjoys reading the Pig the Pug books to her students. 🐾📘 Her favorite travel destinations are places near the ocean, especially Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina, where she has fond memories of visiting as a child. Mary Andrea lives by a personal teaching philosophy: "All the little moments count. Celebrate all victories, no matter how big or small." Her dedication to creating a supportive and nurturing environment for her students makes Mary Andrea a cherished member of the Burgaw Middle School community! 🏫✨
Written by Bob Fankboner