Kathleen Koester

Teaching Philosophy

Important skills I want to teach my students

As an early childhood educator, fostering my young students’ social and emotional skills is especially important. I teach them to be productive members of our classroom group and school community by promoting independence, confidence, kindness, and empathy. I also help my students develop a passion for exploring and learning about the world around them and develop what I hope becomes a lifelong love of learning.

Teaching methods to reach these goals

By setting up a classroom that is accessible and promotes independence, students develop confidence in themselves and face multiple opportunities each day to practice their social and emotional skills. I also plan hands-on, child-centered activities that are age appropriate and excite my students about the various topics we learn about.

My favorite projects

We do so many fun things throughout the year in pre-kindergarten. It is hard to choose just one. I love our unit on dinosaurs. Each child chooses a dinosaur to research and teach their fellow classmates about. The students also work together to build large, life-sized models of dinosaurs using cardboard boxes. I also get excited for our unit on construction. During the unit, each child gets to safely, yet independently, use various tools including a handsaw, drill, and hammer to build their very own wooden initial to take home and display. The students are so proud of themselves and their work.

What I like best about teaching at Seven Hills

The people! The families and talented professionals I work alongside everyday are what make Seven Hills such a special place. There is so much support and such a community that I feel very lucky to be a part of at this school. Everyone truly cares for each other and has the common goal of wanting what is best for children that attend our school.