Elizabeth Charnas 4th Grade Co-Teacher
Elizabeth has been teaching for twenty years with a background in Urban Studies and Equity in Education.
She began her career in policy and education research, but after spending a little time in the classroom, she found her passion in teaching. “As an educator, I feel you have this opportunity to make such a difference in kids’ lives and empower them as learners, individuals, and community members. I like that wholeness of being a teacher.”
She returns to Burke’s after having provided maternity leave coverage several years ago. “I am coming back, in part, because I see how intentionally and thoughtfully Burke’s thinks about education and the way kids learn. It makes it such a powerful place to educate young learners.”
She loves teaching fourth grade because she gets to witness “those moments where students see things in a new way, and the excitement they have for their learning. At Burke’s, fourth grade is a really special year. Fourth graders are the oldest students in Lower School, and they bring a certain ownership and sense of pride to the classroom. It’s also a year where they can take all the foundational learning they’ve had in the lower grades and put it together in deep and meaningful ways, including high-level discussions and incredibly thoughtful projects.”
Her favorite kinds of curriculum involve robust student engagement. “I love that energy and hum in the classroom when students are fully absorbed in what they are doing and knee deep in a project or activity. For instance, we have a yearlong food literacy curriculum in fourth grade. We recently went to the Marin Farmers Market to interview local farmers and learn more about seasonal and local produce. We brought back a bounty of produce to the classroom for a Food Lab and the fourth graders made fresh juice concoctions, de-seeded pomegranates and peas, and designed their own Bay Area seasonal food wheels. Our classroom was full of so much exciting, messy, good learning.” Elizabeth is a strong believer in learning through experiences, from field trips to service learning and learning without walls.
In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys being outside in the sun, reading a book or doing something active. She loves running, playing tennis, hiking in the headlands and taking long walks through the city. One of her favorite places to run is through the city to the Ferry Building farmer’s market.
Burke's mission is to educate, encourage and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community, and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.
Burke's admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.