This month, we’re featuring Third Grade teacher Paloma Gomez, who has continually focused on creating engaging experiences for her students. 

 

Paloma brings thoughtful, collaborative energy to her work, consistently weaving meaningful connections across disciplines. She recently led a deep discussion about land taken from Native Peoples, the meaning of colonize, and the broken trust between settlers and Native communities, with students demonstrating remarkable insight and curiosity. Her lesson set the stage for a cross-curricular art project that tied outdoor learning and art to the class’s study of Native American Heritage Month. After examining “Keepunumuk” and a selected passage from Braiding Sweetgrass about the Three Sisters planting method and the principle of reciprocity, students created painted wooden tiles for a garden installation.

 

Paloma’s commitment to integrated learning and collaboration—from social studies to art, science, and even Upper School partnerships—continues to enrich her students’ experience. She designed and teaches a new Third Grade class, “Science and Social Impact (SSI),” team-taught with Amy Banks and connected to the social impact theme of food insecurity.  The class takes students through the concept of food insecurity in Dallas, culminating in a project in partnership with United Way and Boston Consulting Group.   

 

“Paloma’s teaching embodies creativity and connection, bringing an artistic lens and thoughtful research techniques that make social studies come alive,” said Maggie Parry, Lower School Collaboration and Instruction Coordinator. “She is intentional about cultivating belonging, creating a classroom where all voices and cultures are valued. Paloma also eagerly collaborates with colleagues, and her work with world languages, art classes, and SSI showcases her as an innovative and thoughtful teacher.”