Captain Moricz

Ahoy, 4th Grade Treasure Hunters and Families!

I am so glad you are embarking on this journey with me as we set sail to "Discover the Treasure of Learning." This will mark my 13th year as a teacher and my 7th year at Manzanita Elementary. I will be teaching Math, Science, and writing this year. I am looking forward to getting to know you and your families. 

My journey to become a teacher began with a summer internship at Walt Disney World. I was just about to finish my first degree in pre-medicine and I went to spend the summer in Orlando working for the mouse. One of my managers saw that I was good at training the staff and recommended I check out the education programs at Disney. I had so much fun helping kids learn about Disney that I decided to become a teacher for them. After I graduated from the University of Arizona, I did a 6 month teaching internship at Walt Disney World. I taught students physics by riding the attractions, doing hands-on experiments, and explaining how they work. I also taught programs in movie making, animation, careers, and habitats. The best part about teaching with Disney is that I had the opportunity to work with kids of all ages from around the world.

I discovered that I loved teaching so much that I wanted to be a teacher instead of a doctor. I came back to Arizona and enrolled in the teaching program at the University of Arizona. While I was in school, I worked as an educational assistant for Ventana Vista Elementary and taught summer programs with community schools. I always thought I would teach in Catalina Foothills School District, but a twist of fate took me back to Orlando. I taught second and third grade for five years at Celebration School in Celebration, Florida. I really enjoyed teaching math and science. I became a curriculum leader for their new math program and I helped teachers with strategies for teaching math. I also continued to work as a facilitator for Disney and began working on designing programs. While working for Disney, I got to collaborate with a few other teachers to write a science education book for students who are home-schooled. After five years of teaching in Florida, I decided to move home to be closer to my family and teach again in Catalina Foothills School District. 

I am the type of teacher that loves helping kids see the "wow" in what they are learning. Even if you have never loved math before, I am sure some of my "top secret" strategies and real world math projects will change your mind about math and how you learn. 

If you like technology, than you will love being in our class. This year we will use technology to help us learn inside and outside the classroom. You will become a technology guru as you learn how to use laptops and iPads to produce creative projects, blogs, and do coding. Our technology lessons begin with learning how to be a digital citizen. 

I am active member of several online teaching communities. I collaborate with many teachers in other parts of the world. A few summers ago I went to a special technology and teaching conference in San Diego. The picture below is when I got to meet Moby from Brain Pop. 

My husband Matt and I were married after my first year back in Tucson. We just celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary! We have two crazy puppies named Ziva and Copper. You will hear me tell lots of crazy puppy stories about them in the classroom. Matt and I don't have any kids of our own yet, but I have learned that having puppies is a lot like having kids. 

Here are some other cool facts you might want to know about me:

• My favorite colors are turquoise and purple.
• I am allergic to all nuts, oranges, and soy. I am also allergic to smoke and fragrances.
• I love to eat Italian food, but can no longer eat at restaurants due to my food allergies.
• I make really great oatmeal cookies, pumpkin pie, and pizza.
• My favorite vacation places are the Beach and Disney. I also like to visit Matt's family in Northern Michigan.
• My favorite Disney character is Stitch.
• My favorite Disney attractions are the Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion.
• My favorite authors are J.K. Rowling, Kate DiCamillo, and R.J. Palacio.
• Some of my favorite books are Wonder by R.J. Palacio, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, and Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo. I can't wait to read these with you this year!
• I love to draw, paint, and get crafty. I Pinterest!
• My favorite sports teams are the University of Arizona Football and Basketball Team, University of Michigan Football Team, New England Patriots NFL Team, Detroit Redwings Hockey Team, and the Detroit Tigers Baseball Team. 
• When I was younger, I was a competitive gymnast. I also loved to swim.

My Ultimate Wish List:

• To have a classroom set of iPads with a rolling cart. :)