Overview
Meet Clare Collins, PreK4/VPK Teacher at Good Shepherd Catholic School. Mrs. Collins’ guidance for young learners is: “If they think they can, they can!” Early childhood education is the foundation for a child’s mental, spiritual, and physical well-being, which is why we prioritize having excellent PreK and VPK teachers at our Diocese of Orlando Catholic Schools.
Mrs. Clare Collins, a PreK4/VPK Teacher at Good Shepherd Catholic School in East Orlando, exemplifies teaching excellence by providing an enriching, safe, and supportive environment where young learners can grow and explore. She was recently recognized as Good Shepherd’s Distinguished Catholic Educator of the Year, reflecting her background and her approach to engaging students in the classroom.
From England to Florida: A Continued Passion for Early Education
While she lives in Florida now, Mrs. Collins grew up in the Northwest of England. She attended Catholic school from elementary through high school, which gave her a deeper faith and a strong sense of social justice. She studied English, Language, and Literature at the University of Manchester, UK, and earned a post-graduate certificate in early childhood education from the University of Wales Swansea, UK. Now in her 27th year as an early childhood educator, Mrs. Collins remains passionate about helping children develop their natural curiosity and love for learning.
Inspiring Students Through a Christ-Centered Education
Mrs. Collins loves working in the friendly, faith-filled community at Good Shepherd Catholic School. “It’s a small school with a big heart that is welcoming and wonderfully diverse.” She keeps students engaged with hands-on experiences and a love of great children’s literature. One favorite book is Watty Piper’s “The Little Engine that Could.” It emphasizes positive self-talk, which she reads at the beginning of the year to help children feel confident when facing challenges. The message, and the Little Blue Engine’s mantra, have influenced her teaching through the Covid era and beyond. She hopes her students take away this message of positive self-talk and the understanding that we are all God’s children and should look for God in everyone we meet. For Mrs. Collins, the most rewarding part of her job is seeing children grow and appreciating their perspective on activities and experiences. “PreK classrooms are full of potential, joy, and hope.”
Getting to Know Mrs. Collins
Outside the classroom, here are a few fun facts about Mrs. Collins:
* She loves spending time with her family and going to the beach with friends. She has recently taken up a clay class.
* She has a dog named Bonnie, a feisty but loyal rescue Chiweenie/pitbull mix.
* She enjoys watching “The Great British Bake Off.”
* She enjoys traveling to cities like New York or European cities for energy and cultural experiences and hopes to visit Iceland sometime soon.
* A favorite biblical story of hers is the Prodigal Son and its theme of forgiveness. She believes it calls us to ask for forgiveness and to be a forgiver.
* Her favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:6-7, which speaks about presenting requests to God and the peace of God guarding hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Thank you, Mrs. Collins, for the passion, joy, and expertise you bring to students at Good Shepherd Catholic School. Faces of Catholic Education is an ongoing series spotlighting faculty and staff at Diocese of Orlando Catholic Schools and celebrating the love they have for seeing children grow through Catholic school education.
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