Emily cantalina, humanities and 7-9 classroom teacher

  Tell us a little about yourself.

 I love the Lord and my life is about learning to walk as Jesus did! His gift to me is my passion for education-- I've taught Bible, canoeing, drama, and nature at summer camp; English and Theater Arts at Phillipsburg High School; poetry, plays, English grammar, math, and music at co-ops; but most formative and humbling for me has been teaching/leading/learning with my kids as a homeschool parent for the last twelve years.  My husband Jeremy and I live with our three kids in Milford, NJ where we are most often on (or in!) the river, gardening, or hiking and biking together. We enjoy singing, playing various and sundry instruments, fixing things, and finding ways to be creative. We live with Jeremy's parents, our friend and her dog, plus our pets turtle, fish and bunny-- so our lives are never dull!  And that's just the way I like it!  

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage and why?  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19. That is like the gold nugget within the larger treasure chest of verses 15-24. It can’t get more simple: be joyful always; be in prayer always; be thankful always. If I can keep these three goals before me, no matter where I am or what life is hurling at me, I am doing God’s will in Christ. More than anything, I desire to live from a heart surrendered to our Savior—in fact, I want His heart in me. Daily I rest in Him as I strive to smile with His joy, pray with His love, and give thanks with His wisdom in my life.

Besides the Bible, what is your favorite book and why?
It’s a tie: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and A Separate Peace by John Knowles. Both are about the human condition on one level and the workings of a specific historical period on another level; both create beautiful characters in intricate detail; they have both made me laugh as well as cry. They are masterful works of literature. Other favorite authors are Sandra Cisneros (mostly for style) and C.S. Lewis (mostly for content)!  

If you could make 1 major change to education, what would it be?  

Hearts. I would place a fire in teachers’ hearts that causes them to teach from the inside out. I would place a sense of self-sacrifice in parents’ hearts so that they would see sitting with their children, learning alongside them, as a hard but joyful vision for daily life. And I would give every student a soft heart, like clay after you squeeze it for a long time. Warm, soft hearts that listen and take shape and get stronger with every change. 

What aspects of Foundation First's model do you find most appealing?
  The vision of a parent, a teacher, and a student all taking ownership for their education, under the authority and guidance of God’s Word and Holy Spirit. What better way to live! The teacher lends accountability, vision, and expertise. The parent is the ultimate example-setter for ongoing learning, only surpassed by God in love for the student. The student dwells in this nest of commitment, purpose and love. Ideally, all three are learning together. It’s a dance. And the music and the movement are from the Lord.

Describe your teaching style or philosophy.  Do you have any unique teaching methods you use to engage students?
As a teacher, I am a “lead learner.” To instill a love of learning in the student, I am always in the role of student myself! I am a student of God’s Word and what His Spirit reveals to me every day; I am a student and a servant of my students and their families; and I am a student of the seemingly endless knowledge we can discover through hard work. Robert M. Hutchins said that the object of education is not “to teach the young all they will ever need to know. It is to give them the habits, ideas, and techniques that they need to continue to educate themselves.” I strive to live as a student in front of my students so that they can see themselves as capable learners, uniquely created and gifted by God to gain wisdom through the process of learning. 

Some of my favorite methods in the classroom are games, acting, use of songs and costumes, drawing, and lots of repetition! The classical method emphasizes memorization of grammar (factual information related to a certain subject) first; then meaningful discussion about the grammar; and finally sharing that wisdom with others as a servant teacher. Full circle!