Creative Teacher Is Happy to Be Back at School
Colleen Crisera teaches fourth grade at Emerson Elementary. She has been teaching on and off for 19 years at different schools and at many grade levels. She has been at Emerson for over eight years and says she has found the sweet spot. “I love fourth grade,” says Crisera.
Crisera says she loves teaching writing and math, and she also leads the school’s STEAM Camp in the summer. She has been running the STEAM Camp for six years.
While Crisera loves math now, it was a subject she struggled with in school. “I have a lot of compassion for kids who struggle with math,” she says. Crisera encourages all her students to adopt a growth mindset and realize that if they are not good at something, it is only that they are not good at it yet.
Crisera says her own experiences have taught her that “gifts come out of things that are hard.” It is a lesson she appreciates and shares. “Just because we have a challenge, doesn’t mean we aren’t amazing,” she says.
When she is not at school, Crisera enjoys sewing, hiking and meditation. She had a short stint designing clothing, but says she missed teaching. She loves birds and says she just enjoys being out in nature. Crisera writes poetry and is also writing a book she calls a kind of autobiography.
Crisera shares that she loves the arts. She went to school in the Valley and was in choir and played flute in the marching band at Coronado High School. She plays other woodwinds and also guitar. Her family includes two sons and two daughters. At least one daughter shares her love of music and sings barbershop style with the Sweet Adelines.
According to nominating student Cyrus, “My teacher is great because she’s so nice and buys little ‘presents’ for us to help with school work.”
Crisera says, “Kids need to be loved and encouraged, but they need limits.” Part of that is for kids to learn self regulation. One of the reasons Crisera loves fourth grade is because it is a formative time for students, she notes. She is very glad that she returned to teaching in Mesa.
“People don’t realize how much training (teachers) do,” says Crisera, who adds, “I think public school rocks!”
50 Valley Locations–Find Yours at BOSADONUTSAZ.COM
PHOENIX
19th Ave & Pinnacle Peak
1900 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd #101
623-404-9999
44th St & Washington
125 N 44th Street, #100
623-899-6666
7th & Union Hills
710 E. Union Hills
623-388-6656
32nd St & Shea
10876 N. 32nd St
602-569-5556
37th St & Indian School
3722 E. Indian School Rd
602-955-5575
Central & Clarendon
3701 N. Central Ave
602-888-8999
2211 W. Camelback #186
602-368-4477
Bell Rd & Tatum
4601 E. Bell Rd, Ste A5
602-603-3892
4th St & Jackson
310 S 4th St, Ste 100
602-888-8666
1st Ave & Monroe
101 N 1st Ave, Ste 100
602-888-8777
3rd St & Fillmore
455 N 3rd St, Ste 1195
602-888-8555
35th Ave & Southern
6360 S. 35th Ave
602-702-6888
PEORIA
75th Ave & Cactus
7446 W Cactus Rd
623-334-0506
225 Lake Pleasant #1220
623-226-7777
GLENDALE
Glendale Ave & Litchfield Rd
13820 W Glendale Ave
623-271-7191
SCOTTSDALE
74th St & McDowell
7444 E McDowell Rd
480-990-1398
CHANDLER
Dobson & Elliott
2990 N Dobson Rd
480-899-4999
Arizona Ave & Galveston
655 N Arizona Ave
480-899-7134
Arizona Ave & Ocotillo
4015 S Arizona Ave
480-895-8955
MESA
Country Club & Southern
1144 S Country Club Dr
480-844-6181
Mesa Riverview
805 N Dobson Rd, Ste 108
480-699-0066
Greenfield & University
4418 E. University, Ste 101
480-448-9999
9248 E. Cadence Pkwy
623-313-6814
CASA GRANDE
Florence Blvd. & Arizola Rd.
1659 E. Florence Blvd
520-876-9266
GILBERT
Val Vista & Queen Creek
4844 S Val Vista Dr
480-699-9084
Gilbert & Williams Field Rd
155 E Williams Field Rd
480-814-1681
Val Vista & Elliot
130 S Val Vista Dr, #E1
480-699-2229
Higley & Baseline
1614 N Higley Rd
480-699-9962
Higley & Williams Field Rd
3305 E Williams Field Rd, Ste 104
480-275-5044
QUEEN CREEK
Power Rd & Chandler Heights
23858 S. Power Rd
480-699-9579
SURPRISE
Reems & Greenway
15261 N Reems Rd, Ste 104
623-404-8888
17061 Ave. of Art
623-404-5555
PRESCOTT
Gurley & Pleasant
415 E. Gurley St
828-237-9999
SAN TAN VALLEY
Combs & Gantzel
37591 N. Gantzel Rd, #100
480-699-6884
LAVEEN
Combs & Gantzel
5845 W. Baseline #100
602-257-6666
