Kristen Aanerud-Smith, a fifth-grade teacher at Davenport Elementary School, is this week’s featured A+ educator. Smith started her career as a marine biologist at Sea World and The Florida Aquarium for 16 years before transitioning into the classroom.
Smith brings her passion for science into her classroom by sharing pictures of her past experiences in marine biology to spark excitement in her students about the world beyond their everyday lives. Her love for marine biology was inspired by a book about sharks that her father gave her on her tenth birthday, and she attributes him with encouraging her to follow her dreams.
This is Smith’s sixth year of teaching, and she has been at Davenport Elementary for two years. She enjoys incorporating hands-on activities into her lessons, such as observing caterpillars turn into butterflies and caring for a vegetable and herb garden. Through grants she secured, she was able to fund a hydro garden for her students, providing them with unique learning experiences.
Drawing from her background in grant writing and marine biology, Smith aims to provide her students with engaging, hands-on learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. Her ultimate goal is to inspire her students to do their best, be positive, and take their learning beyond the classroom into the real world.
