This week, we’re showing our #CPSDPride by giving a #SuperSchoolShoutout to Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy’s (GLA) Virtual Learning Program K-5 English language arts teacher Alison Hofstad and fifth grader Lily Balsom.
Alison taught third grade at Park Lodge before joining the GLA team two years ago. “We can do so much here to support our students, and I love embracing learning technology to help concepts ‘click,’” she said.
As a K-5 educator, Alison teaches kindergarteners beginning their school journey and fifth graders preparing for middle school. “They’re all at different levels, and it’s cool to see the entire elementary process,” she said. “I remember small details about students and their families which helps me personalize my instruction to each of their needs.”
Alison is proud that she persevered in her career after her first year of teaching in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began. “In a strange way, that challenging time helped me succeed in this role because instead of learning how to teach in a classroom, I became a teacher online,” she said.
Lily loves being a virtual learner and has enjoyed the high-level concepts she’s exploring as a fifth grader. “I like learning with technology like Zearn and IXL because it’s easier for me,” she said. “I also like my teachers like Ms. Hofstad, who help me learn at my own pace.”
Lily is proud of the growth she’s seen in her math skills and her independence as a learner. “I’ve become better at researching and now I really like making essays,” she said. “I made an essay about the state of Missouri and another one about the leading causes of homelessness, and
I liked researching and diving deeper into those topics.”
When Lily grows up, she has great ambitions of being a police officer as well as serving in the military, becoming an emergency room doctor, a caregiver and a paramedic. “I just love helping people and want to be a good person,” she said.
Go Grizzlies!