• About Mrs. Pamela Durham...

    Position: 5th Grade Gifted Teacher

    Room: 12

    Phone: 480-812-6642

    Email: Mrs. Pamela Durham

    Mrs. Pamela Durham

    Connect With Us

    Click here to connect with us on our school social media pages, Infinite Campus Portal (assignments and grades), by email, or by phone.

    Welcome!

    Since I started teaching gifted learners in 2013 I can't imagine not being a gifted teacher. There is something indescribable and special about a gifted classroom that makes me feel so lucky to be able to spend every day with your children. When I am not in the classroom I can be found chasing my two wild and sweet boys with my amazing husband! We love to be creative, artistic, curious, and makers in my home and go into each day excited to see where this adventure takes us.

    My Education and Professional Background

    I started my career as an interior designer in Chicago, Illinois when I was offered an amazing teaching position in Italy after a few years of working in the design field. That first teaching experience in Milan was for a kindergarten thru second grade combo classroom, and I also developed the art program for kindergarten thru sixth grade levels. That opportunity made me realize my passion for teaching, and when I traveled back home, I decided to pursue a Masters Degree in Elementary Education, as well as my gifted endorsement. I have had many experiences that shaped the teacher I am today. In total, I have worked with kindergarten thru sixth grade levels in suburban, foreign, and Native American school districts. I was a gifted teacher at Knox Gifted Academy from 2013-2020 when I then decided to come and start the program at WGA which has been the best decision I could have made! 



    My Educational Philosophy

    I believe in empowering students with the knowledge to become self-motivated, community minded, and lifelong learners through a student-centered active learning environment. It is our job to challenge students, allow choice, individualize instruction, and encourage passions. Higher achievement comes when students are intrinsically motivated and excited about learning. This learning happens through experimenting, experiencing, and creating meaning through reflections of their new knowledge. Schools are a place children want to bring their families and communities into to share their ideas and be proud of the problems they have solved with their peers. Just like my students I am also a lifelong learner; my teaching philosophy is always developing and changes through the experiences I have with students. I look forward to taking this journey with your children!

    The Choice is Yours! Why Choose Weinberg Gifted Academy?

    What makes our school special is the fact that students' voice and choice is at the forefront of everything we do. We believe that children should be excited to come to school and learn in a way that they feel valued and heard. This is a place that does that beautifully. Gifted children come here and they feel like they belong...they find their people and they feel empowered to truly be themselves. I recently had a parent tell me that they were so happy we were able to unlock hidden interests and passions that they didn't even know their child had and then allowed them to explore and act on those interests. That is what makes our school feel successful. Or when a child tells me that they now know what school is really supposed to look like. That is when you know this is a special place and we are doing it right.

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