Ms. Vega | 4th Grade | Lead Academy
For our September spotlight, we stopped by Ms. Emily Vega鈥檚 vibrant fourth grade classroom, where she practices every day to create a sense of belonging and 人妻乱伦. As a member of the 人妻乱伦 DC family for six years, Ms. Vega has continually nurtured connections with her students and colleagues, fostering a classroom where every child feels seen, heard, and celebrated.
Emily knew she wanted to be a teacher early in her career. 鈥�When I was a student in New York, I really loved a couple of my teachers. They made me love being at school, love reading, love writing and all these things,鈥� shared Ms. Vega. 鈥�I think back to my 4th grade teacher. She really shaped my life and believed in me. And so when I was thinking, post grad, what did I want to become? What did I want to do? I knew I wanted to be someone like her. The Capital Teaching Residency was the perfect opportunity.鈥�
Now, as a fourth-grade teacher herself, she helps bring out that same love and inspiration in her students. During our visit, Ms. Vega鈥檚 class was engaging in their daily 鈥淜id of the Day鈥� activity, featuring a student named Kyleigh. Kyleigh shared an object special to her, a camera, and her classmates eagerly asked questions, providing space for genuine exchanges and connections. Following this, the class celebrated Kyleigh, contributing to a poster highlighting her achievements and how she embodies the school鈥檚 core values: Lead, Love, and Learn. In an incredibly thoughtful gesture, Kyleigh picked classmates who hadn鈥檛 yet had the chance to share or ask questions, ensuring everyone had a voice in the celebration. It was a beautiful example of inclusivity and empathy in action.
Ms. Vega explains the importance of this daily ritual: 鈥�Kid of the Day is an activity that is special to my classroom. Students can share a piece of themselves with the class through show and tell, learn from one another and celebrate the accomplishments of their peers. Over the school year, 鈥楰id of the Day鈥� morphs into 鈥楧J of the Day鈥� where students share a song that is special to them, 鈥楾eacher of the Day鈥� teaches the class a unique skill, “Gamer of the Day” gets to lead us in a class game, etc.鈥�
Ms. Vega began this tradition during her time teaching first graders, and she quickly realized that older students also benefit from leading and sharing with their peers. 鈥�When I moved to teaching fourth grade, I knew I had to bring this activity with me. It’s become a daily reminder of the importance of creating space for students to share, listen, and celebrate each other.鈥�
鈥�Students realize that they not only learn from their teachers but can learn so much from each other,鈥� Ms. Vega continues. 鈥�This moment during the day is a unique time where students are the center of attention and get to share a bit about themselves with their classmates, which helps create a sense of 人妻乱伦 every single day.鈥�
By making this simple yet profound activity a part of her daily routine, Ms. Vega has cultivated a classroom culture where belonging thrives and students uplift one another every single day.
Want to help inspire future learners? Learn more about joining the Capital Teaching Residency.听