Teacher Spotlight: Sara Kim

Get to know Sara Kim, a kindergarten teacher at St. John Vianney Catholic School. Learn more about her story, her passion for education, and how God led her to working at SJVS. What did you want to be when you were little?I saw a documentary when I was little about orphans in another country, and I knew then that I wanted to work with children. For a long time, I wanted to join the Peace Corps.  Tell me about your journey to becoming a teacher.I didn’t start out college as a teaching major; I wanted to be a nurse and join the Peace Corps. During my second year in college, I spent about five months in the hospital (in and out) translating for my mom who had cancer. After she passed away, I realized that nursing was not for me. After a little break, I changed my major to speech and audiology. This allowed me to work with children. During this time, I met a friend who introduced me to St. John Vianney, and I started teaching right after I graduated from college. It wasn’t something I had planned on doing, but life events led me down this path, and I’ve not looked back since. How do you engage your students in the learning experience?With my students being so young, I need to be super animated. I use a lot of visuals, gestures, role-playing, and hands-on activities to keep them engaged. Reading is my favorite concept to teach. It takes a lot of patience in the beginning, but once they start, it’s so encouraging to see their excitement and faces light up when they realize they are reading.What’s your favorite thing about teaching kindergarten?They get so excited about everything. I also enjoy their honesty; they don’t have a filter when they speak! It’s a good reality check for myself.What is the most rewarding thing about your job?Seeing growth in each student — growth academically, spiritually, mentally, developmentally, and socially. I love seeing their excitement in learning new things and skills and mastering them.What do you enjoy about teaching at St. John Vianney Catholic School?I like teaching at SJVS because I feel like it has a family atmosphere. I’ve been teaching here for a very long time, and I see families returning year after year. I’ve taught all the siblings from several families throughout the years. Some teachers graduated from SJVS and returned to teach here. I believe this is a very unique and special place.  What do you hope your students take away from being in your classroom?That they are loved — loved by God, loved by me, loved by parents and friends — and that they should not be shy about trying new things, and they should dare to dream big. And to give their best effort in all that they do.


Get to Know Sara Kim

Q: Where did you grow up?A: I was born in South Korea. But I grew up in NYC (during elementary and part of middle school). I moved to Orlando during my 8th-grade year, and I’ve been here since.Q: Do you have a favorite movie or TV show?A: I love the Star Wars series, the Lord of the Rings series, the Harry Potter series, and the Marvel series.Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?A: Reading minds/thoughts. Sometimes I get curious and want to know what the students are feeling and thinking throughout the day.Q: What’s your favorite place that you’ve traveled to?A: I lived in Amman, Jordan for a year teaching missionary kids. While I was there, I had the chance to visit some surrounding countries. Q: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?A: Sushi. This question might be the hardest to answer! For more than 50 years, the Orlando private schools have been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today.

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Teacher Spotlight: Holly Talbert

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Prepare Your Child for Preschool