LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Viviene Squire was nominated anonymously.

"There's no place like home." That's until one comes to Mrs. Squire's classroom. Students are greeted with calming music and a smiling face each day. Ms. Squire and students build a relationship together as she learns about their home family, after school activities, and things they like to do outside of school. Students also learn about Ms. Squire's family, her hobbies and things she likes to do for fun outside of school.

During recess, Ms. Squire plays kickball with students, for those who want to play. How does this help to create a positive classroom environment? Well, it helps students and Ms. Squire to become comfortable in each other's company. They are not friends, but they have built a relationship where students can come to her and share their ideas and thoughts, whether it is school related or non school related. Students know they have a safe place when they come to school. They know they are not judged or ridiculed for mistakes they make on class assignments. They are taught that making mistakes are okay as long as you work to fix the mistake and try not to make them again and that mistakes are lessons we learn to overcome in life.

Ms. Squire allows students to see her mistakes as well, because she is human and adults make mistakes too. The relationship and openness that she shares with students cuts down on so many negative behaviors that would happen in a classroom if they didn't learn to respect each other vertically and horizontally. Ms. Squire says vertically because she taught students that needed to respect her, but she also needs to respect them. Horizontally because they needed to respect each other.

Ms. Squire likes going to work and students like to come to school. This is how she creates a positive classroom environment.