Catherine teaches 6th grade English at M. Marcus Kiley Middle School in Springfield, MA.  She loves her job and adores the children. She tries to prepare them for life with an open minded, sociological, and democratic education.

As one of this year’s Pioneer Valley Teachers of Excellence Awards recipients, we asked her the following questions:

What is your favorite memory or anecdote that captures your joy in/dedication to teaching?
Every time a student calls my name in the hall with a cheerful hello and high five.

What keeps you enthusiastic about teaching/education, and where or from whom do you find your inspiration?
I really think children are adorable. I laugh every day. I am also very involved in the debates around school reform and unions. Being a teacher means being political.

How do you try to balance the demands of your professional and personal life?
My fiancé and soon to be sister in law are both teachers. In a career that you love, your job and life will find its own balance.

We’d love to hear responses to these questions from any of our readers.  So please send us your comments!