Karen Leciejewski

Welcome!    
My name is Karen Leciejewski. I teach in the Middle School at Saint John's and absolutely love working with this age group. I have three children of my own who attend Saint John's, so I'm a Saint John's parent as well. I teach Language Arts, along with a class called Learning Strategies (for students who need one-on-one help). I am also the 8th-grade homeroom teacher and Student Council advisor for Saint John's School. 

Professional Background:  
I have a degree from the College of Saint Scholastica in Elementary Education (K-6), with an emphasis in Communication Arts/Literature (6-8). I began working as a Middle School Math and Language Arts teacher at another Catholic school for two years before getting married and coming to teach here at St. John's in 2003. Since then, I have earned a master's degree in Critical Pedagogy from the University of Saint Thomas through the Murray Institute. I have been fortunate enough to attend Catholic schools my entire life, starting here at Saint John's before moving to St. Jerome's and then on to Hill-Murray. When I am not teaching, I love to cheer on my kids in their many activities and spend time with my extended family and friends. I love music, movies and game nights. Of course, I always love to curl up with a good book as well.

Education Philosophy: 
I believe that the most important factor in teaching a child is to know each child individually. It's important for teachers to pay attention and ask questions to learn students' strengths, challenges, learning styles, aptitudes and personalities, in order to reach each one in a way that will work best for him/her. Education isn't as much about learning facts as it is learning how to learn, how to be curious and how to find the answers you seek. If kids take ownership of their own learning, they can do anything.

Visit my website and the Middle School website.