Angel Smythe Parisi has a zeal for learning and an enthusiasm for education. At her core, she values personal growth, integrity, and communication. With twenty-three years as a teacher in elementary classrooms, she has helped to shape hundreds of young lives. Her impact extends into the thousands when you consider she has sung, led worship, and been a keynote speaker for more than thirty years all over the world.

Angel all but grew up on a stage. She was a ballerina as a young child, added singing and musical theater to her repertoire in her mid teens, and began writing her own songs in her late teens. Her numerous leadership experiences coupled with international travel opportunities would only enhance her future teaching career. She easily builds rapport and connection with students, parents, and peers. Angel always added music, humor, and practicality to her classroom learning experience, and she does same in her trainings.

Angel’s philosophy about teaching is simple. She agrees with Madeline Hunter when she said, “Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!” Many think she was being too “warm and fuzzy” but what she meant was you are not going to reach some kids academically until you first reach them on the “human to human” level. Sometimes the subject matter in our classrooms can’t compete with the “drama” in their lives. The main ingredient missing in a lot of our classrooms today is a “connection with kids.” Angel believes that research is clear, when students know you value them as a human being, not just another student; they will work harder for you and challenge you less. She also believes teachers don’t need any more theory and new, trendy programs with catchy names.

Angel believes teachers need to be given research-based, proven, practical strategies and applications that teachers can start implementing immediately – without throwing anything out that is working in their classrooms. Angel’s experience in the classroom for more than two decades causes her to believe that educators have the toughest job in America. They are asked every day to wear many different hats – mom, dad, nurse, counselor, teacher, advisor, judge, jury, lawyer – just to name a few.

Angel understands that students come into our classrooms and schools with different backgrounds and cultures and their cognitive abilities, assets and experiences are just as wide ranging.  Sometimes the only thing students have in common is their age! The “one size fits all” approach no longer works.

Angel also knows the biggest unchallenged assumption by many today (especially politicians) about education is that kids are coming to school willing and ready to learn. As educators, we know this is not the case. We have a generation of kids coming to our schools basically un-socialized. Many students are learning behavior from TV shows, video games, social media and a myriad of other influences.

Angel knows there’s not much we can do from 4:00 PM until 8:00 AM but there is a lot we can do from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Angel is dedicated to helping educators be successful through motivation, inspiration, humor and a common-sense approach to stress management. Email me.