1st Grade

1st Graders at Carlthorp School are pros at the ins and outs of how the school works.

Responsive classroom continues with daily Morning Meetings focused on reinforcing the importance of community. Students are given opportunities to be comfortable speaking in front of their classmates and teachers. Our 1st graders also develop more independence.

They are expanding the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that were introduced in kindergarten. They continue learning through the core subjects: Fundations, guided reading, cognitively guided instruction (CGI), and math workshop. The 1st graders are becoming strong readers and writers.

In the spring, the students invite parents to join them for the 1st grade author share; students excitedly share their animal research reports, which they have been working on for two months. This is a culmination of our nonfiction writing unit. The parents join this special event and enjoy a tasty breakfast together in celebration of their children's hard work.

Meet the Team

List of 4 items.

Hannah Grunbaum

Hannah is overjoyed to become a part of the 1st grade team and join Carlthorp’s community. With a teaching history spanning five years, three of which have been devoted to nurturing 1st graders, Hannah brings a warm, playful, and committed presence to the classroom. She recently received a master’s degree from Cal State Fullerton in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in social justice.

Hannah’s teaching ethos is grounded in the understanding that mindfulness and social-emotional learning are fundamental to a child’s growth. She endeavors to establish meaningful connections with each student, valuing their distinct strengths and perspectives within the educational setting.

Hannah is a Southern California native, having grown up on the sunny shores of Huntington Beach. When she isn’t guiding her students, you can find her embarking on adventures around the globe, whipping up culinary delights in the kitchen, staying active through exercise, or cherishing quality time with her loved ones.
Keara Devitt

Keara is eager to begin her sixth year teaching at Carlthorp School and ninth year as an educator in Los Angeles. She values helping her students develop critical thinking skills as academic scholars and fostering their social and emotional growth. Originally from Long Island, New York, she is the youngest of seven children. In 2010, she traveled to California for college to pursue her teaching degree and professional career. She attended the University of San Francisco and earned a B.A. in Psychology and a master's in Elementary Education. She later attended Mount Saint Mary’s University and completed the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing program. In her free time, Keara enjoys the outdoors, running, and doing yoga.
India Military

India is thrilled to be a part of the 1st grade team at Carlthorp School after serving as a kindergarten teacher in 2023-2024. Her teaching journey began at Boston University, where she studied early childhood education and taught preschool and grades K-2. After moving back to Los Angeles, her hometown, she taught 1st grade at Brentwood School. India’s passion for teaching rests in the belief that how we shape the minds and hearts of young children has a lasting, powerful impact on the global community. Her approach to learning respects, appreciates, and celebrates each aspect of children’s identities through a strengths-based lens. When India is not teaching, she enjoys reading, trying new recipes, exercising, and spending time with friends and family.
Raysa Sosa

Raysa is thrilled to bring her experience teaching in New York City schools to the West Coast and equally excited to continue her journey in education at Carlthorp. After earning a bachelor’s in childhood with special education from SUNY Geneseo and a master’s from Teachers College, where she specialized in reading, she held teaching positions at The Brearley School and then at Speyer, a school focused on educating gifted students, where she served as assistant coach of the middle school cross-country team and introduced students to different crafts during summer camp.

Raysa consistently strives to discover methods to effectively challenge students while ensuring that learning is a source of joy. Outside of work, you can find Raysa going on long bike rides and trying out anything crafty.