About Eliza Stolzfus

I was born and raised in Bluffton, Ohio— a true product of Bluffton University. My father was a professor of Music there for 39 years, so I practically grew up on the campus. I chose to continue my college years there as well. I graduated in 1996 with a major in Elementary Education and double minors in English and Theater. I went on to earn my Masters in Education, specializing in High Ability teaching and learning, in 1999.

I initiated my teaching career at Bethany in 1996, being the first sixth-grade teacher and contributing to the establishment of the Middle School. After a period away to begin and raise my family, I returned as one of the co-teachers for the original 4-5 split class. This endeavor also played a role in laying the foundation for the Lower School.

My husband and I live in Goshen, and we are blessed with 4 children. Three of them are attending college, while my youngest, Mariah, is a junior at BCS. It's truly a pleasure to be back!

What is your philosophy of teaching?

I love to teach, but I also love to learn! My goal is to instill in my students not only knowledge, but a true joy to learn. I am a firm believer that the learning process needs to be engaging, safe, and inquiry-based. Bethany allows for all of these, while also enabling me to incorporate faith and Christian values in all that we do.

What kind of classroom experience do you try to create for your students?

My classroom hopefully becomes a community where questions are encouraged and where curiosity and creativity are nurtured. I want my fifth graders to want to be here – while recognizing that hard work is expected and that high expectations, though challenging, are important!

How do you keep students engaged in their learning experience?

We do a lot of projects but there are often multiple projects happening at the same time.  It’s important to me that my students feel a sense of ownership in their learning , so I try very hard to follow their individual interests and let this guide the projects. If that means lots of different projects – that’s great!

What qualities or life skills do you wish to impart to your students?

I  hope to instill in my students a love of learning and if not a love, at the very least a desire.  I want them to grow in their confidence and to be able to embrace challenges, knowing that some skills/concepts may take longer for them to fully grasp than others - and that’s okay!

What fuels your passion and drive to be an educator?

I think my own love of learning inspires me to try and spread/share that love with my students — I’m hoping it’s contagious. Teaching, for me, is the ultimate learning process – it’s about me learning to truly understand each of my students, their personalities, their interests, and their individual  “ways” of learning.

What makes teaching at Bethany unique or special?

Bethany provides the time and space for so many unique learning opportunities. It is a safe place where the process of learning can be as revered as the products of what is learned.

When you aren't teaching, what can we find you doing?

I like to write music, dream about amazing field trips, and watch my kids do what they love doing. I also love New York City, and am somewhat of a Broadway theater fanatic.

Is there a topic in the area you teach that you're especially passionate about?

I actually enjoy teaching Math, not because I grew up living this subject but because I didn’t!  Figuring out how to make it engaging, fun, and safe is something I’ve grown to love. I also enjoy providing opportunities for helping students grow in their confidence to speak /present and engage in meaningful debates and conversations.