Craig Culbertson, Wright Elementary
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Craig Culbertson teaches fifth grade at Wright Elementary. This year marks his 13th teaching at the school. 

Culbertson is a Tucson native who started his career working in sales. He worked at a kiosk selling wireless phones, and later was a district sales manager. He says his students cannot believe how the phones back then were only used to make calls—no texting and no internet!

“The kids look at me like I'm crazy,” he laughs. Besides tales of his former career, Culbertson shares other stories as part of his teaching style and as a way of relating to students. “They know me pretty well,” he says of his students.

He knows them pretty well, too, after spending two years with these kids. Culbertson taught fourth grade last year, then moved up with his class. But it was a new student, Anissa, who nominated Culbertson. She writes that when she was new to the school, Culbertson was very welcoming and made her feel “part of the Wright family.”

Culbertson recalls that when he was younger, he was not a great student because he “didn’t like school a whole lot...I was bored to death.”

He says it was later in college when he realized that learning could be fun. A big reason for the change of heart was because “in college, you get to choose what you study,” he says. 

Culbertson emphasizes choice with his students—that education is a key to having more choices. He tells students that their education is important—not as a way to get wealthy or net a high-paying job—but to have the freedom to do what they want to do.

Reading is Culbertson’s favorite subject to teach, and a favorite hobby, too. He likes to do voices during teacher reads, and tells kids who don’t like to read, “You just haven’t found the right book, yet.”

This year, the fifth-graders have read books like “Stargirl” by Jerry Spinelli, and “Holes” and “Small Steps” by Louis Sachar. Culbertson says “Stargirl” was “really fun” and that “anything by Sachar, the kids eat up!” He enjoys the conversations that kids engage in about the material.

When he is not in the classroom, Culbertson stays busy spending time with his 6-year-old daughter. He also likes to play video games and is learning to play the guitar. 

Benefits of an Early Orthodontic Evaluation

Dr. Laura Robison-Rabe, a board-certified orthodontist at Dr. JAW Orthodontists by Dr. Laura Robison-Rabe, a board-certified orthodontist at Dr. JAW Orthodontists People often ask me why we start seeing patients at an early age. Did you know at age 7, your child already has half of their adult teeth? It may seem young, but most orthodontic issues can be identified by this time. Your child may not be ready for braces, but an early evaluation provides both timely detection of problems and greater opportunity for more effective treatment. 

At Dr. JAW Orthodontists, we would like you to know the benefits of identifying your child’s orthodontic needs at an early age. Although it's rare that a 7-year-old needs braces, I'd like to share with you several reasons why you should bring your child to Dr. JAW Orthodontists for their first orthodontic consultation by the age of 7.

The first orthodontic visit includes an exam with photos and digital x-rays. One thing we’re looking for is whether or not a child’s teeth are falling out and erupting according to schedule. We can identify missing, impacted or extra teeth. We can make room for crowded teeth and avoid extraction of permanent teeth in the future. We can diagnose and correct harmful habits such as tongue thrust and thumb sucking. Early intervention can make future orthodontic treatment less complicated and less costly. Often it is easier to treat orthodontic problems when a child is young compared to waiting until they're an adult. For example, we can correct jaw growth problems that cannot be corrected at an older age without surgery. Lastly, a beautiful smile can go a long way with boosting a child’s self-esteem! 

The large majority of 7-year-olds will not be ready for any orthodontic treatment, but those that are ready can benefit immensely. Schedule a complimentary consultation with us today and take first step towards providing your child with a healthy and confident smile that will last a lifetime. 

 

Edition: 
Tucson
Issue: 
May 2019