Stefanie Galler teaches fifth grade at Paseo Verde Elementary. She has been a teacher for 24 years and has taught K–2 and 4–6 grades.
Galler was born in Indiana, but moved here with her family when she was a kid. She had a brother and sister with asthma, she explains, so they moved to Arizona for one of its five Cs—the sunny dry climate.
When Galler was in college, she says she was undecided on what she wanted to do. She changed her major many times. “Too many times, if you ask my father,” she reflects.
After working with some volunteer youth programs, she found that she wanted to work with kids. She did her practicum with NAU and later received her master’s degree in ELL. She still tutors English language learners.
Student Adam, who nominated his teacher, noted her efforts. “My teacher is great because she gives tutoring time on her own time,” writes Adam.
Galler takes advantage of the state’s climate and enjoys running, hiking and spending time outdoors. In previous years, Galler brought her love of running to school and coached cross country.
Galler says she also enjoys spending time with her family. She combined her love of family and the outdoors when she hiked Mt. Whitney with her dad and brother. The California mountain is the tallest in the 48 contiguous United States at 14,505 feet!
She says she also enjoys singing and dancing, but she doesn’t consider it a great talent, she just does it for fun!
Galler advises students to always work hard, to persevere and “to have stamina, even when it’s not easy.” When things are difficult, she urges students to keep trying and to learn from their mistakes.
Galler hopes that the passion and dedication teachers have for their work does not go unnoticed.
“It’s good for all students to understand that our day doesn’t end when the school day ends, and it doesn’t begin when the school day begins,” Galler notes.
Galler says that she and her fellow teachers work long days and devote their time and efforts “because we value our profession and the people we can help along the way.”
