Mrs. Lofgren
Raised in Arlington, Texas,
and Columbia, Missouri, I graduated from the University
of Iowa in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. I majored in English and earned a minor in Communication Studies.
After graduation, I taught in St. Louis, Missouri,
for one year before moving to Ankeny in 1994.
In 1999, I completed my master's degree from the University of Northern
Iowa with a degree in Communication Education. In
the fall of 2004, I attained National Board Certification in the area of Early Adolescence English/Language Arts.
Having taught students grades
seven through twelve, I have found that eighth and ninth grade are my favorite levels.
Thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen year olds possess high level thinking skills, and they show an enthusiasm for learning
that I appreciate. Although middle school can be a challenging time for adolescents
academically and socially, I genuinely believe that these early teen years are some of the most exciting academically. I have the privilege of introducing young people to many great works of literature,
academic styles of writing, and significant means of oral communication. Although
I recognize that English is not every student's favorite curricula, I believe that reading, writing, and speaking effectively
are important life skills. My goal as an educator is to make learning applicable to the real world and meaningful to students
in terms of their own personal interests.
When I am not at school, I enjoy
spending time with my family, reading, running, and enjoying the outdoors. My husband, a former graduate of Ankeny
High School, teaches math at the high school. We have two children, a six
year old boy and two year old daughter.
Although
I play an important role as the classroom teacher, I strongly believe that parents are the most important adults in their
children's lives, and that we need to work together for all students' benefit. Through
collaboration between school and home, your son or daughter can have a very successful school year.
