Alicia McGuire

Grade 3

“Knowing that you have some power and ownership in your space just makes your day a little bit better.” says Grade 3 teacher Alicia McGuire, explaining that discovering her own learning style marked the beginning of a life intrigued by brain-based learning. “We have different brain-based strategies in the classroom to support the way the children self-regulate, like movements that involve crossing the midline, movements synchronized to a metronome, and movements that help them integrate sensory input. ” She says, adding, “everybody has equal access to all the movement breaks. Because you never know what kind of day you’re having, and you might need some support.”

Mrs. McGuire holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and Early Education from George Mason University, a Master of Education and Educational Psychology with a specialization in Gifted Education from the University of Virginia, and holds a Virginia Postgraduate Professional License. A lifelong learner who relishes teaching, she enjoys acting as an intellectual detective and nurturing guide to students and to new teachers. For over three decades, she has taught Early Elementary students in Fairfax County Public Schools. Why the focus on that age group? “I like them,” she says, smiling. “I find them unique and interesting, and they are very honest.”

Before coming to Green Hedges, Mrs. McGuire taught at Marshall Road Elementary School, becoming part of a collaborative group that implemented teacher training materials for an approach to reading called the Science of Reading. “I like research, and I like to DO things,” she says. In 2022, she was named her school’s Teacher of the Year.

Mrs. McGuire lives in Vienna with her husband, teenage son and daughter, and two cats. She enjoys cooking, being with family, and exploring when she is out and about.