Barbara Groh is a grade 5 teacher in Carolina Day’s Key School. She worked at CDS from 2000-2003, tutored privately for seven years, and returned to CDS in 2010. Barbara taught preschool for 15 years and took the Orton-Gillingham Multisensory Language Training in 1999. Over the years at Key, she has worked with every grade from first through eighth. Besides working at the Key School, she tutored dyslexic children from first to twelfth grades, as well as an adult student through the Literacy Council.

Get to know Barbara Groh:
 
What do you like most about your job at CDS? “I love knowing that I have made a positive impact on young people’s lives.  Children often come to the Key School with feelings of failure because they’ve had so much difficulty learning to read and write.  It’s exciting to watch them discover that they CAN learn -- and to watch their confidence blossom in the process.”
 
In your opinion, how does the CDS community inspire students to be courageous and curious, wonder about things that they don’t understand, try new things, and develop individual passions? “In our classrooms at Key, we “celebrate mistakes” and discuss how they are an essential part of life and learning.  Inspirational quotes from famous people about persevering and learning from mistakes decorate the walls and are a great jumping-off point for discussion.”
 
What books and authors inspire you and your work at CDS? “Robert Fulghum’s All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten is wonderful for reminding me about what is really important when interacting with others. The First Days of School, by Harry and Rosemary Wong, is a practical book with great ideas for starting the year off right...and keeping things on track all year long.”
 
What is your favorite quote about education, mentorship, children, and/or learning? “I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.” -Chinese Proverb        
 
How would you describe yourself and/or your approach to your job in 10 words or less? “A spark to ignite a lifelong love for learning.”
 
What personal passion brings balance to your life? “I love being outdoors, especially in my vegetable garden or on the water in my kayak. I also spend time hiking and biking. The sights, sounds, and smells of nature restore my soul and bring me great joy. Another passion of mine is dancing, especially contra dancing, swing dancing, and waltzing. Arthritis keeps me from dancing much anymore, but I have been a contra dance caller since 1989, so I get to stay involved in the dance community that way.”
 
Is there anything else we should know about you and your work? “Even as a child ‘playing school,’ I was always the teacher.  It’s as natural to me as breathing.”  

How is CDS different from what you experienced as a child in school? “As a student, I was expected to memorize information and regurgitate it on the tests. At CDS, we teach children WHY something is important and HOW things fit together.”