Keeping her class energized is one of Carrie Bazyluk’s key goals as she teaches her fourth and fifth grade students. After nine years of substitute teaching, Mrs. Bazyluk joined St. John’s permanently this year as its fourth grade language arts teacher, instructing students on spelling, reading, grammar and penmanship. She also teaches fifth grade reading and fifth grade religion.

Carrie Bazyluk, inviting children to imagine.

She has implemented many creative strategies in her quest to maintain energy in the class room. “I’ve brought in a lot of new books, and we do silent reading every day at the beginning of class,” she said. “I want the kids to read for fun.” She doesn’t ask them to report on what they have read, just enjoy the experience. Her new books include many of the classics, edited for children, including Robin Hood, Ivanhoe, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Heidi, and Anne of Green Gables.

Her fourth graders also put on their own puppet shows. The children wrote their own stories, built their own sets, and gave the shows. “We put them into groups, so they weren’t working with their friends,” she explained. “It was great to watch how certain children became leaders. It was amazing how they worked together, came up with ideas, met challenges, and presented the show.”

Her religion class is anything but dull. Her students have “kick ball prayer.” They go outside with their religion books and divide into teams. The team that’s up forms a line to kick the ball. The person at the font of the line has to answer a question about that day’s religious lesson—be it the Ten Commandments or a new prayer the class is learning. If they answer correctly, they get to kick the ball. Answer incorrectly, they go to the back of the line. “It’s team learning. We’re outside, and it’s fun,” Mrs. Bazyluk said.

Concerning her teaching philosophy, Mrs. Bazyluk said she “envisions each student with a back pack that will follow them throughout their lives. I want them to be able to read and understand what they read, to be fearless in their questions, and to pursue answers,” she explained. “I want them to always enjoy learning.”

Mrs. Bazyluk has a strong belief in the pursuit of answers. Prior to becoming a teacher, she majored in journalism at Colorado State University. She worked at newspapers in Utah and Hawaii — the Salt Lake Tribune and Honolulu Star Bulletin. She sees similarities between teaching and journalism. “When I went out on an assignment, I was always learning something before an interview, and the questions I asked led me to learn more about a subject,” she said. “With teaching, it’s the same thing. You never know how a child will perceive things, the questions they will ask, or the answers they will give. Their answers can be hilarious.”

“My class is very energized. They ask great questions, and I like it when they find their own answers. I love to watch them pursue answers and be right. In that way they have ownership in their educations, rather than being told they have to do something,” she explained.

Mrs. Bazyluk was born in Montana and lived there until she was seven, when her family moved to Colorado. She enjoys hiking, skiing, swimming and gardening with her husband of 20 years, and her 16-year-old son and 14-year-old-daughter.

“I’m really grateful to be here. It’s a privilege and honor to be here with these children and staff. It’s never a bad day,” she said.