Claire O’Connor – Pre-K at O’Keeffe School of Excellence – Chicago, IL
Claire is a pre-K teacher at O’Keeffe School of Excellence, a CPS school in South Shore. After teaching English in public high schools in Hanoi, Vietnam, Claire moved to Limerick, Ireland where she completed a two-year Organic Horticulture program while working on a farm. Excited to integrate hands-on, nature-based learning experiences into the classroom to weave her two passions together, Claire joined Teach for America where she fell in love with the O’Keeffe school community. Claire is excited to enter her third year teaching Pre-K at O’Keeffe and is a vocal advocate for the importance, and the incredible possibilities, of a strong Early Childhood Education.
Claire is motivated by holistic, child-centered, and student-led learning and deeply believes in Pilot Light’s mission to bring culturally responsive nutrition lessons to her school community. Claire is looking forward to learning and growing alongside (and from) her students on this journey!