My Name is Angela Risch and I have been teaching at Lake Country School for 22 years.  I taught fourth grade for two years, kindergarten for 14 years and this is my seventh year since returning to fourth grade.   I am a 1991 graduate of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, majoring in elementary education.  Throughout my career, I have received my master's degree in education, a reading and early childhood endorsement and my reading teacher license.  As an educator, I feel it is important to support each child socially, emotionally and intellectually through individualized instruction and strong teacher/parent communication.  I've been focused on a balanced approach to literacy which incorporates reading and writing across the curriculum allowing ample opportunity for students to work at their level on comprehension and integrated mechanical skills utilizing individual, small and whole group shared learning experiences.  How a child learns is as valuable as what they learn:  process and content go hand and hand.  Students will engage in a wide variety of activities that will allow them to stretch their intellectual, collaborative and creative skills.  I believe it is important to create a classroom that is fueled with care and respect, and that such an atmosphere is a critical foundation for learning.  It is equally valuable to foster social curriculum as it is academic curriculum. I hope to nourish social participation along with cognitive growth. Teaching is an extremely rewarding profession and I look forward to getting to know and working with all my students.