Title: Reading Specialist

Company: Bridgewater School District

Location: Edison, NJ

EDISON, NJ, February 4, 2015, Christine B. Warian discovered her love of children early in life, as she was the oldest grandchild in her extended family. Her interest in education as a career was sparked when she discovered that when she shared her knowledge with others. She could see a “light bulb” moment in their eyes. Having been an average student herself, Miss Warian cannot only empathize with her students who struggle, but also provide them with clues to assist them in figuring out the meaning of words and improving their reading comprehension. For the first eight years of her teaching career, Miss Warian was content being a classroom teacher in a Catholic school. Then she was presented with a student in second grade who was reading at a kindergarten level. She was motivated to find out how to teach children like her, so she began to look into the master’s degree program at Kean University. Miss Warian took the chance to go to school full time and enter public education by substituting for the next two years. After working as a reading specialist these past few years and currently as an adjunct professor, she tells her students to always do their best and that it is all right to take risks and make mistakes. It is by making mistakes and accepting them that we learn and grow. She also tells her students that the only “dumb” question is the one not asked. She hopes that as a teacher who enjoys what she does and adds humor to her lessons, that she will be able to teach her students to not take life too seriously. It is always a great day when she sees students enjoying learning.