Recipient: Cathy Lowenstein

Number of years teaching: 22 years

School: Bialik Hebrew Day School

Grades: 1

Subject: English

Family: Married with 2 daughters

Inspiration/Motivation for being a Teacher of Excellence:

For Cathy, teaching grade 1 is extremely rewarding. She loves teaching and finds it a fabulous part of the many things she does.  She sees each child as unique and special and helps to develop his/her self-esteem.  She works hard to create a good feeling inside each of her students, believing that if they think positively about themselves then learning will happen.  Positive self-esteem is the foundation for the rest of their education.

Cathy strives to create a comfortable learning environment and sees and treats each student as an individual.

Cathy was nominated by the family of one of her students.  The Blankenstein family describes Cathy as “ energetic, creative and loving.  She has been able to see the potential in all her students.  When I was quite ill last year, she understood my daughter’s needs.  My daughter did not speak to her for the first few months of school, but clung to Mrs. Lowenstein’s skirt for the first hour of everyday.  Cathy encouraged us that she thought our daughter would take off in second term.  Sure enough our daughter soared and excelled under this wonderful teacher.  This incredible grade one teacher gave my daughter a fantastic start at Hebrew Day school.”