Elizabeth Cruz

Mrs. Cruz is a graduate of Calvin and later Aquinas College where she obtained a masters in bilingual education.  She has taught a variety of ages from preschool to adults and in a variety of locations including Mexico, Grand Rapids Public, Grandville Christian and finally Northpointe!  She lives with her husband, two boys and husky fur child.  In her spare time, Mrs. Cruz enjoys painting, reading, exploring creation and staying active!

As a teacher deeply rooted in my faith, the three mandates of love, discipleship and image are an integral part of my classroom.  I seek to encourage students to recognize their identity and value in Christ.  I strive to create a classroom in which each individual is treated with love and respect, acknowledging that in turn we likewise honor and respect God.  I also encourage students to think beyond themselves and to develop a community and global perspective.  Some specific examples have included doing devotions centered on our identity in Christ, turning to the Word to read what God says about our identity in Him.  Understanding our identity as image bearers of Christ is a crucial foundation for our faith and as a teacher, I hope to instill this identity in my students.   An example of community fostering I have used is prayer partners, in which students are partnered with another student to weekly share prayer requests and pray over one another.  Another example is when I help students walk through the process of restoration in the face of conflict.  Especially in these moments of disagreement, it is important for students to be encouraged to show love to one another.   Finally, an example of building discipleship I have used is the participation in global awareness month activities. Throughout the month of October, I guide students through activities such as a water walk and an examination of the Good Samaritan parable to help them realize the world beyond their school community and their calling to serve and disciple it.