New Columbus School teacher Alison Thomas brings new ideas and enthusiasm to her 5th grade classroom to make sure all her students are successful.

Before arriving in Colombia, Thomas taught in Elementary School for three years in Richmond, California. After she heard positive comments from friends who had traveled to Medellin, she investigated the Columbus School and was offered a job here. She also wanted to come here to learn Spanish.

“One of the reasons I wanted to come down here was to learn Spanish, because there are a lot of Spanish speakers in California where I’m from,” Said Thomas.

One of the best things that Thomas enjoys about teaching is watching students get excited to learn new material and topics. She enjoys when students succeed after a struggling to master a concept.   

“There have been a lot of good experiences. Again, I think it has to go back with the kids that are learning something or when a subject or specific theme has been a really big struggle and then they get it, that is the best thing ever,” Thomas said.

Apart from teaching Thomas likes to spend quality time at home either alone or with friends

While the school year is still in its early stages, Thomas has made a positive impression on many of her students. 

“She is very nice and she teaches the class well because she has a good attitude and explains things very clearly,” Andrea Gaviria said.

“She is nice because she lets us play games and do fun things at the end of the day so we can enjoy learning,” Maximiliano Lopez added.

Thomas acknowledges that she learned many of her strategies and developed her style of teaching from watching other teachers. She likes a calm and organized classroom.

“The main thing that we are working on, even outside of things we are working academically, is being the best people that we can be and thinking about things that are happening outside the bubble of Columbus and Medellin, thinking about other people and how we can help other people with the privilege that we have here,”  said Thomas.