About Katelyn Hochstetler

I live in Goshen with my husband, Philip, and my 1 year old daughter, Harper. I love to be outdoors, play volleyball and basketball, and bake. This is my 11th year teaching but my 5th year at Bethany. 

What is your philosophy of teaching?

It is important to teach to the whole child and recognize that not everyone learns in the same way. I feel it is important to experience learning through all of your senses and to try new skills that push you outside of your comfort zone. We want to assess knowledge through many different medias and experiences.

What kind of classroom experience do you try to create for your students?

I try to create a classroom full of collaboration and hands-on experiences. I hope that students gain understanding through a variety of activities and know that there is value in showing their learning through more than simply pencil and paper assessments.

How do you keep students engaged in their learning experience?

We are busy moving and experiencing. In 6th grade we try to combine learning in different subjects so they have an immersive experience. For example, students are in kingdoms for their study of the middle ages in social studies. In science students will design, through STEM, items that would be in their castle and their physical structures. In FACS we will cook food that was typical for this time period and in LA we are reading a fantasy story that takes place during the middle ages and having discussions/writing about this topic.

What qualities or life skills do you wish to impart to your students?

I want to help students think creatively and have an attitude that they can succeed if they are willing to put in the work. I hope they discover that there are a variety of skills and careers needed in the world and their passions matter.

What fuels your passion and drive to be an educator?

Students. They are the reason why we do this and what makes all the work worth it. They teach us and remind us to search for new ideas and have excitement in the small things. Their learning makes me excited to teach. Everyday isn't perfect but they are the reason to keep teaching and improving the ways we teach.

When you aren't teaching, what can we find you doing?

I love to be in the kitchen cooking and baking. I like to experiment with new recipes and am currently trying to broaden my skills with my sourdough starter. I also love to be outside and take my daughter out whenever I can.