The Joy of Growing with Students at Horizons
Posted on by Heather Crouch, Horizons Teacher
Over the past three years of teaching at Horizons, I have become such a strong believer in the program. It has been a meaningful learning experience for me as an educator and an opportunity to build truly special relationships with students. I look forward to seeing them each summer and reconnecting during Super STEAM Saturdays.
In my role as a first-grade teacher during the school year, I work closely with students for one year before they move on. At Horizons, however, I have had the unique joy of growing alongside the same group of students year after year—watching them evolve, gain confidence, and develop new skills over time.
My first summer at Horizons, I taught rising fourth graders. Much of that summer focused on building relationships—with students in the classroom, on the basketball court, and during van rides to and from swimming. As an educator, it was both rewarding and challenging to form meaningful bonds in a six-week program while also keeping students engaged in reading and math during summer break.
I quickly learned that the “in-between” moments mattered just as much as formal instruction. Transition times, free moments, and casual conversations became opportunities to connect, build trust, and better understand my students. I also challenged myself to create classroom experiences that were engaging and joyful while still providing the strong academic enrichment that Horizons values.
Each summer, students return a year older and with new strengths, challenges, and interests. That pushes me to observe carefully, adapt quickly, and meet them where they are as learners.
Horizons has helped me grow tremendously as an educator, but the relationships I have formed with students are what I treasure most. I think I look forward to Horizons just as much as the students do—I’m always eager to reconnect, hear updates about their lives, and see how much they have grown.
It has been incredibly rewarding to watch students grow as readers, swimmers, artists, athletes, and young people. I cannot wait to see where their journeys take them, and I feel grateful to play even a small role along the way.