@rkfreyHello, Hola! I am a high school History/Spanish teacher who loves all things education and I, just like Cindy, decided I would be a teacher early in life.
My brother Michael, who has a big chunk of my heart and is in the picture with me above, struggled to learn from pre-school to his high school graduation. On the first day of kindergarten after school my mom asked him, "so what did you think of school today Michael? Are you excited about tomorrow?" To that he replied, "you mean I have to go back again?" He needed an environment that was engaging and fun so that once you had his attention, the sky was the limit on his ability to succeed in the classroom. Unfortunately though, he did not have many teachers in his 13 years that caught his attention and encouraged him to have fun with learning. Helping him with homework and seeing how intelligent he was when you took away the standardized test prep and substituted exciting lessons, I decided teaching would be my life. I want students of all learning types and aptitude levels to reach their highest potential in my classroom. I work every day to provide enriching activities for every single student. I've only been teaching for six years so I'm still quite a novice and consequently I am constantly on pinterest or watching a webinar for new ideas to incorporate into my curriculum. I have been married for almost six years to my polar opposite best friend and we have one beautiful, almost two year old little boy who stole my heart from day 1. Also living in our cozy cottage of a house is one opinionated hound dog, two hyper jack russell terriers, one shy bunny and a beta fish given to me by a student who thought I needed one more mouth to feed. My life is in no-way boring....ever. We hope to encourage you to always look for a creative take on your teaching while showing you that most teachers are also out there looking for an easier, less expensive way of engaging their students without reinventing the wheel. Thanks for taking this journey with us!! Kathleen |
@_CindyWallace_I am a high school math teacher, curriculum girl, technology geek, blogger, tweeter, wife, and mom. I love school and all things education. As far back as 3rd grade, I remember playing "math teacher" with the neighborhood kids. Not much has changed over the years, my passion for students and the desire to unlock the mysteries of mathematics still drive me today.
I strive to make the classroom engaging, enriching, and inspiring and I seek to create moments that have a positive impact on students' lives. I realize, at times, it is a challenge to bring learning to life, which is why Kathleen and I worked together to create The Classroom Cafe, a place to share quick and easy ideas that truly impact teaching and learning. Why "Cafe"? Well, maybe it's a southern thing, but I think of lesson planning kind of in the same way I think of cooking. Like a good meal, great lessons have a beginning, middle, and end and they are always prepared with heaps of love. We hope to put ideas on the "menu" that create excitement and fun in the classroom while reinforcing or assessing content knowledge. I am entering my 13th year at a small school. (A place where I actually met my husband when we were both in the 8th grade :) At a school the size of ours, one tends to wear many hats. Through the years, my experience has included teaching middle school science, teaching high school math, writing grants, and doing curriculum stuff. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have two sons, ages 18 and 20, and one chocolate lab, who loves to swim in the swamp waters behind the house. I can often be found surfing the web at all hours of the day and night looking for new tips and tools that can be utilized in the classroom. I admit, I am a bit addicted to cool gadgets, blogs, podcasts, and social media. So, please share great resources when you find them. I look forward to learning with you! Cindy |