About Us
"We cannot change children, but we can change the instructional approach."
My Family
Hi, my name is Hannah Holguin. I am a wife of nine years and a mother of two beautiful girls. My husband Sal works in Elkhorn, Nebraska at RetroProtection. My daughters Isabel, Elena, and Emilia are spirited, passionate little girls - they are my inspiration, I was born in New Hampshire, but I have spent the greater part of my life in Nebraska.
Education
I graduated from Wayne State College in 2013 with my Bachelor's in Secondary Math Education. In 2015, I received my Master's in Mathematics with a specialization in middle level teaching. In 2019, I received my endorsement to support English Language Learners. My education has shaped philosophy as a teacher, but in my experience in the classroom I found my heart's greatest passion.
Career
In 2013, I started with Omaha Public Schools. The first four years were spent teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics. Later, I transferred to Omaha South High where I taught struggling 9th grade students for four years. Over my four years I also taught advanced 9th grade students and AP Statistics to juniors and seniors. Every age and skill level brought its own type of joy and triumph. During 2015, I also started as an Adjunct Professor with Metropolitan Community College. For the last five summers I have had the upmost pleasure of teaching culinary and hospitality students Culinary Math. There is a true joy when students can see true, applicable applications of mathematics into their careers and passions. It is with great joy that I enter my 10th year of teaching by opening Masterpiece Academy, LLC! I find great delight in all learners overcoming challenges, finding their passion, and celebrating every success (big or small!).
Self-Paced Instruction
During my time at Omaha South High working with struggling 9th grade students, we had rosters of students with a variety of challenges. Some of my students were trying to acquire mathematics at the same pace of their peers despite having a learning disability. Some of my students were overcoming learning English and math at the same time. Some of my students were overcoming attendance issues (taking younger siblings to school, needing to work to support their family, or general apathy). Some students truly struggled with self-regulation and therefore they needed additional time to work through personal challenges before being ready to learn. We saw it all. In 2017, approximately 70% of our students were earning Ds and Fs. It was then when I knew something had to change. These students needed an instructional model that was responsive to their needs. So, I took the mandated district curriculum and designed a self-paced model. Students had the ability to pick up right where they left off, move faster through concepts they already understood, and spend more time on areas they didn't understand yet. Just by changing the instructional approach, 75% of students were earning As, Bs, and Cs. It was not what we were teaching, it was how we were teaching it. I saw so many beautiful success stories from this learning experience. Just ask me about Maria, Osbaldo or Bryan. My heart could just explode!
My Philosophy
I believe all students can learn. One of my favorite education quotes, "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid." God has uniquely created each of our children and we must honor who they are. We cannot change them; we must nurture and encourage them to grow into the best versions of themselves. Our children rely on us to guide and lead them through the challenges of life and celebrate with them when they are successful. I believe success breeds success. When a child gets a taste of success, they yearn for more. Yes, we all have areas to grow and areas we already glow in. We can nurture both areas of our life. Our children need to learn how to collaborate with others, think creatively, persist through challenges, navigate technology, research areas of curiosity, explore new ideas, and extended grace and love to others. It is my greatest joy to be able to bring you Masterpiece Academy. Thank you for the opportunity to lead, nurture, and inspire your child.
Meet Cooper
This is Cooper. Cooper is our family pet who will be apart of our day. He makes a great companion. Cooper loves snuggles, playing toys and running around in the background. He has a natural way of making everyone feel loved. Cooper is a Pomapoo and does not shed. Cooper cannot wait to meet you!
Awards and Recongitions
September 2020 - Darmody Family McDonald's Teacher of the Month