Forrest, Aleah
Mrs. Aleah Forrest
1st grade
Rm. 207
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Where she lives: Brooklyn Heights
Teaching since: 2003
At P.S. 8 since: 2007
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When Aleah Forrest's husband was relocated to Brooklyn Heights last year, the Texan couple fell in love with the area immediately. One day while apartment-hunting, Mrs. Forrest walked by P.S. 8, where she bumped into Ms. Saffady and Ms. Levy. She asked them about the school, and one thing led to another. She says, "I call it faith; one year later I had become their colleague and friend, lucking into this amazing job at P.S. 8."
Mrs. Forrest is a devoted teacher, saying she'd wanted to become an educator since she was herself was in kindergarten. She has a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Texas State/San Marcos. After college, she taught 3rd grade for three years in an elementary school in Houston, which was similar to P.S. 8. "Their parent participation was just as amazing," she says admiringly.
Switching to 1st grade at P.S. 8 was an easy task, says Mrs. Forrest. She is thrilled with her students' progress at reading and writing. "I love how they come up to me and say, 'Hey, look, a short vowel A!' And I taught them that a week ago. It is so rewarding!"
For Mrs. Forrest one absolute plus about teaching in a New York public school is the proximity to Columbia University, because P.S. 8 places a strong emphasis on professional development and follows the progressive Columbia University Teacher's College Curriculum. She says the curriculum is highly beneficial to the kids. "We are helping the children learn to think like readers and writers every day, on their own improving level. It is state-of-the-art, and it works," she adds enthusiastically.
Mrs. Forrest and her husband have a border collie, Chester, who on weekends accompanies them to Central Park, where they love to hang out in between shopping sprees at Bloomingdales.
Posted on: January 25, 2008
