Kate Balsman
Education:
Bachelor’s in Art, Art Education (K-12), Spanish, Lutheran Education Colloquy - Concordia University Wisconsin
Master’s in Counseling Foundations - Concordia University Wisconsin
Roles at LW:
Spanish Teacher
New Teacher Mentor
Peer Teaching Coach
About:
I can hardly believe this will be my 20th year at Living Word! I love to be with my students, co-creating a Spanish immersion experience in the classroom while we explore the many Spanish-speaking cultures. I am also blessed to visit other teachers' classrooms to learn from and encourage them in their pedagogy. I’m grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had to travel as a student, tourist, missionary, and trip leader and love to share these experiences with my students and family. At home, I spend time with my wonderful husband, Jonny, and our two young children, Marigold & Liliana. I enjoy theater, creating art, making music, reading, and making a game out of just about anything.
Favorite Bible Verse:
Micah 6:8 - And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Why do you value being part of Living Word and it's school community?
Living Word offers the unique opportunity for students to engage in a wide variety of activities. It’s not uncommon for a number of spring athletes to also be participating in the spring musical. There is a tradition here of encouraging our students to explore all their God-given talents at a time when so many adolescents are pressured to pigeon-hole themselves into a narrow frame of self-identity. This freedom allows them to learn so much more about what they are capable of, to engage with a variety of individuals and appreciate the passions in others that they might not have themselves, and to better know for the future what they are being called to continue and expand upon. Our students leave us well-rounded, academically-prepared, more socially adept, and more assuredly on the path to God’s will for their lives.