Mrs. A. Porras- Teacher

My name is Ann Chavez-Porras and I am a wife and the mother of two amazing children. My family and I love traveling and exploring new places. We also like finding interesting restaurants to try or new recipes to cook at home. I am a resident of Burnham and my daughter attended Burnham School from preschool until 8th grade and will be starting high school in the fall. My son will be attending Burnham School as a kindergartener in the fall as well. 

I am currently the 6th grade teacher at Burnham Elementary School. I will begin my 11th year working here at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. I have held a variety of positions throughout this time that have contributed to my commitment to the school. I enjoy the small school setting and working closely with students and their families.  

I have a dual bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education with an English as a Second Language/Bilingual Education endorsement from National Louis University in Chicago, Illinois. I am bilingual and able to speak, read, and write fluently in Spanish which allows me the ability to support English Language Learners and students from diverse language backgrounds in my classroom. 

My goal as a teacher is to share my enthusiasm for learning with students. I enjoy building a connection with students to foster a sense of belonging and community within the classroom. This helps me learn about my students and their preferred learning styles, strengths, and interests. I believe that teachers play an important role in shaping students’ experiences in the classroom and that students need to be actively engaged in the learning process. Making real-world connections to the content we are learning in the classroom is one of the many ways I seek to extend learning outside the classroom. Another important aspect is connecting and collaborating with families to be included as part of their child’s educational experience. Together, we can ensure that students reach their full potential and find success in the classroom and beyond. 

I am looking forward to the start of yet another school year that will no doubt be full of some memorable experiences. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at a.porras@d1545.org.