By Eitan Beck, Seventh Grade, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
This year, Sarah Horstkamp joined the faculty at the Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation as a middle school math teacher.
Originally from Howard County, Horstkamp attended college at Towson University, where she studied education with concentrations in mathematics and English.
Before coming to KSDS, Horstkamp taught for six years, first at a different middle school and then at a local community college. She says she is excited to be back in a middle school classroom because “part of me really missed it.”
As a younger student, Horstkamp already knew that she wanted to pursue math as a career. “When I was in high school, I had a really good pre-calculus teacher. She was awesome; she made everyone like math,” Horstkamp says.
Horstkamp particularly enjoys showing students that anyone can learn and be skilled at math. “I like showing students that they can do [math]. There’s just something exciting about math because it relates to so much of the real world,” she says.
Ben S., a seventh grade KSDS student in Horstkamp’s math class, said, “[Horstkamp] is very straightforward. She’s very nice, which makes the classroom a comfortable place in which to learn.” In addition, Horstkamp incorporates hands-on activities in her class. “We made posters on the properties of multiplication, and I thought that was really fun,” Ben explains.
Noah S., another seventh grade student in Horstkamp’s class, said, “[Ms. Horstkamp] makes the class fun with a variety of activities and games that relate to the subject at hand.”
Ilan B., a fifth grade student, agrees with Noah, and says his favorite thing that he did in Horstkamp’s class was playing Kahoot (an online game) related to math.
Despite the Jewish holidays, breaks in learning and COVID restrictions, Horstkamp says she is impressed with her students’ motivation. She credits technology with helping her through pandemic-related closures. “I use zoom and web tools, including Google classroom, to continue to teach students who have to learn from home,” she says.
Outside of school, Horstkamp enjoys hiking, especially at Acadia National Park in Maine, and her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate chip cookie dough.
Eitan Beck is a seventh grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
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