WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderTeacher of the Week: Mrs. Cicello

Teacher of the Week: Mrs. Cicello

By Laura Gibbs

ROCKFORD (WREX) - In a room of little faces all farily new to the world of education our Teacher of the Week found the right tricks to teach. A Rockford early childhood teacher uses instruments and catchy tunes.

Mixing up this pretend "witches brew" only stirs up interest from these 3-5 year olds. Mrs. Bev Cicello loves the arts and uses music to improve vocabulary, various concepts and even counting.

Mrs. Bev Cicello says, "Music to me really touches the soul and it uses a different part of the brain. So to be able to incorporate thinking skills within something that is fun and entertaining and that they love to do. It's a win-win situation for everybody."

Parent Kristine Taylor states, "We sing the songs at home. Mrs. Bev will send home lyrics for us to sing if they're practicing a new song or if it's a song they like."

Taylor nominated Mrs. Cicello after her son Ethan started school at Fairview last year.  Taylor tells 13 News, "He comes home. He sings the songs. He's so proud of the artwork he makes. He says we painted our hands today, we painted our thumbs today."

Mrs. Cicello says, "We are the first step into the families becomming a part of the district and so our goal is to make sure that the families feel comfortable and that they feel welcome and loved and that they learn. We do a lot of teaching of skills so the kids can be independent so that they are ready for kindergarten. We do a lot of academic skills, colors, shapes, numbers counting, all those kinds of things. But to me the joy is seeing the kids become really good friends."