Meet the 4th Grade Team:

Ms. Bliss
Marie Bliss is ecstatic to be teaching 4th grade at WISH! Miss Bliss earned her BA degree and teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University. She decided to become a teacher because she wanted to impact young lives in order to create a better world for tomorrow. Her favorite subject to teach is math because she loves seeing each student use different strategies to solve problems and be willing to share their thought process. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, relaxing, and being with her friends and family.  She thinks WISH is the best place to work because they are an inclusive school that helps every student succeed and reach their full potential!

Ms. C
Jaycee Cox is so excited to be joining the 4th grade team at WISH! She is a graduate of Pepperdine University, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies for Education and her California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Inspired by the educators who made her feel confident, capable, and valued, she hopes to create a classroom where every student feels empowered to take risks, ask questions, and grow into lifelong learners. Her favorite subjects to teach are reading and writing because she loves helping students think creatively, express themselves with confidence, and connect with the world through stories. Outside of the classroom, Jaycee has been dancing for 19 years and enjoys choreographing, crafting, journaling, watching films and television, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends. She believes WISH is the best place to work because of its welcoming community, commitment to the Whole Scholar approach, and dedication to creating an inclusive environment where every student can thrive.

Ms. Tarantino

Anna Tarantino is thrilled to be joining the 4th grade team at WISH! Ms. Tarantino earned her Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, and teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University, where she also served as captain of the NCAA Division I Women’s Water Polo team. She has dreamed of becoming a teacher since third grade after being inspired by the incredible educators who made such a lasting impact on her life. She hopes to have that same positive influence on her own students by creating a classroom where every child feels supported, challenged, and excited to learn. Ms. Tarantino’s favorite subject to teach is reading because she loves helping students develop confidence, spark their imagination, and discover a lifelong love of books. In her free time, she enjoys staying active, reading, going to the beach, trying new coffee shops, and spending time with family and friends. She is excited to join the WISH community because of its inclusive, supportive environment and the amazing staff, students, and families who make it such a special place.

Mr. Tharani

Karim Tharani is thrilled to collaborate with 4th-grade teachers and students to establish a stronger connection between learning and real-life experiences. He relocated from New York City last August, where he also taught 4th grade. Karim holds a bachelor’s degree in Musical Theatre and a master’s degree in Teaching. He is passionate about teaching reading because he believes in encouraging his students to explore learning through projects and storytelling. Karim firmly believes that education should be student-centered and encompass a wide range of subjects beyond math, science, English Language Arts, and social studies. Outside of the classroom, Karim enjoys taking acting classes, watching the latest TV shows, attending theater productions, and traveling to various countries. This marks his first year teaching at WISH, and he is eager to see what WISH will bring to his teaching journey so that he can continue to inspire and guide his students.

Ms. O'Loughlin

Haley O’Loughlin is ecstatic to be co-teaching 4th and 5th grade at WISH! Ms. O’Loughlin earned her BA at CSU Chico, and is currently working on her masters at LMU. She decided to become a teacher to be able to give students the excitement to learn she received from her teachers. Her favorite subject to teach is writing because she loves seeing students personalities shine through. In her free time she loves to draw, watch movies, and play Ultimate Frisbee. She thinks WISH is the best place to work because of the amazing staff and students! 

Learn more about the 4th Grade Program:
The fourth grade program applies the constructivist learning theory by allowing students to discover and make meaning through multi-sensory, hands-on, and project-based learning. Differentiation is woven through all lessons to meet the individualized needs of each student. Fourth graders participate in a variety of learning activities to continue to think flexibly, to develop as individuals, and as a community of learners. Additionally, technology, art, music, and PE are important, integral components of the fourth grade curriculum.

Specifically, in language arts, fourth graders study different genres to expand on the literacy foundation they have built. They focus on specific details in reading to help them use precise language in their writing and speaking. They compare and contrast different points of view to enhance their critical thinking skills. Students grow as writers by composing pieces in a variety of genres, including opinion pieces, informative/explanatory texts, and narratives. They increase their knowledge of language conventions through grammar and vocabulary.

In mathematics, fourth grade students continue to grow in their understanding of and fluency in mathematical concepts. Students expand their place value understanding up to one million and perform multi-digit arithmetic. They work on multi-digit multiplication and division to find quotients involving multi-digit dividends. Students develop their understanding of fraction equivalence, add and subtract fractions with like denominators, and multiply fractions by whole numbers. They also learn to classify geometric figures by their properties, such as angle measures and perpendicular sides.

In social studies, fourth graders learn the unique history of our home state. Students explore the lives of Californians from the pre-Columbian societies, the Spanish missions, the Mexican rancho periods, the Bear Flag Republic period, the time of the Mexican-American war, and the time of the Gold Rush. Fourth graders study the physical and human geographic features that define California, as well as its transformation to an agricultural and industrial power. Students also learn about the U.S. Constitution and California in the greater context of the federal government.

In science, fourth graders study energy conversion through the engineering design process.  Additionally, students delve into modeling and solving read world problems and applying critical thinking skills to hone in and critique theirs and others solutions. Students study the flow of energy in ecosystems, learning the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers. They will begin to differentiate among types of rocks and minerals, and students will learn how water and wind shape the Earth's surface. Additionally, fourth graders will study how light and sound waves occur in the world around us.