AnnMarie Laird – Third Grade teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary

Job Description: While a traditional elementary school teacher who teaches all the subjects except PE and music, AnnMarie strives to empower her students to feel safe and fearless as they learn. “I try to give my students confidence so they can get up in front of class and risk giving a wrong answer. They know they will be supported and praised for being willing to take the risk.”

Typical day: An early riser, AnnMarie opens her classroom door around 7 a.m. surveying the room for a visual sense of the day’s flow, she prepares accordingly. “But my day really starts when my little treasures stream in,” she says. During her teaching career, AnnMarie has developed a special greeting, which she gives to as many arriving students as possible. “It starts with a thumb squash, a handshake, and then I twirl the student under my arm like in a dance move,” she explains. It is a physical acknowledgement of the student and their successes. “Third graders appreciate my warped sense of humor. They know I like to tell ‘yokes’ (jokes) and they also know that I care about them and that we will work through challenges together.”

The morning usually consists of math, reading and Writers Workshop. In the afternoon there are specialists in different subjects, depending on the day (science, social studies, music and PE). ‘Dessert of the Week,’ according to AnnMarie, happens each Friday. This is a program that AnnMarie calls Community Contributors, which matches third graders to kindergartners as ‘buddies.’ On the first day of school, the Community Contributors’ debut task was to walk their buddies to the school busses at the end of the day. A few Fridays later, they will excitedly anticipate reading stories to their kindergartner buddies.

Best part of the job: “When the light goes on in their eyes,” says AnnMarie. “Third grade is an amazing grade. They still have a joy in learning and are thinking beyond themselves, thinking deeper thoughts.”
Something people may not know: AnnMarie was an investment banker before becoming a teacher. “I have found that teaching is actually harder than investment banking because, with teaching, you don’t leave the job at night. You are always thinking about it and planning.”

Years in district: This is AnnMarie’s third year. She taught K-12 in Enumclaw for 18 years prior to joining MISD.

Outside interests: AnnMarie’s son, Ryan, is a foreign aid auditor with USAID. AnnMarie recently indulged her love of travel with a visit to him in the Philippines, where he is stationed with his wife. “I love to travel to a new country, dig into its history and culture, and learn about its people,” she explains. Daughter Katie is a student at the University of Oregon. AnnMarie also enjoys photography and reading.