Ms. Palma believes her role in the classroom is to be a guide, not to set limitations on the students. "They get to explore and go in the direction they want to go," she explained. "I think sometimes people forget that kids can do a lot more if you let them."

Teaching is Julie's second career. Her first, in retail management, gives her a keen appreciation of what the real world will expect of her students–so she starts the expectation early. "It's amazing. Kids will live up to the expectations, if you set them."

She continued, "The hard thing for me, because I want to do so much with them and push them so far, is to remember that they're only in fifth grade."

In addition to setting high expectations, Julie knows it's equally important to connect with the students and their interests. "Not all kids are strong in every aspect, but it's finding the one that they are and building on that."

Julie says it's not hard for her to get on their level. "I like to think of myself as a big kid," Julie explained. "I do goofy things just like kids, so I have that connection. I get excited about hot dogs, so I sing them a song every hot dog day."

Please join 9NEWS, CollegeInvest, and Metropolitan State College in congratulating Julie Palma, the January 2008 9Teacher Who Cares.