LIVING TESTIMONIES PROJECT BASED LEARNING 3-D PUZZLES ...

Justin Cook ‘91
Karin is one of the most committed educators that I’ve ever
met. Her passion is to create dynamic relationships that lead to
amazing learning. Her classes enjoy the energy that she brings
to their communal time together. She loves seeing her students
succeed, and she focuses her energy into that goal. She helps
them to see the purpose in their learning, and she models for
them such a high work ethic. She has helped us in the Languages
Department understand the importance of assessing student
writing as part of their writing process as opposed to at the end
of the process where it serves little purpose in their learning. She
also expresses her love for learning outside of the classroom.
She has also committed to the other ne arts at HDCH, helping
to direct and produce stimulating and challenging drama like
Stand and Deliver, Annie, or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well
as community dramas. We have seen and heard the fruit of her
20 hdch.org | Fall 2012
Let’s Talk Teachers
Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta Sta and Students re re re re re re re re re re re re re ect on much-loved teacher, Mrs. Boonstra ‘84
work with our HDCH praise team, as they lead our worship in
our churches and in the professionally produced praise CD “One
Voice” that they released this spring. These accolades speak to her
professional gifts, but what we most love about her is her integrity
to us relationally. She wants to know and honour students and
sta personally. She takes on the burdens of others, sometimes at
personal expense; she wants to speak for those who struggle to
speak and sing with those who have found their voice. (She’s also
an amazing sister who is often willing to share her lunch with her
little brother!)
Meghan Vanderkruk ‘10
I guess what made Mrs. B stand out for me as a teacher was
that she is so passionate about English. It is so evident that she
loves literature. But what really makes her light up is when she
sees her students understand the literature. When they contribute,
when they nd insight in the plot, she gets so excited. This is
because she is more passionate about learning than literature. It’s
not enough to just “get by” in Mrs. B’s class. If you allow yourself
to be stretched and challenged, she is more than willing to work
alongside you as you discover the literature, but more importantly,
as you discover yourself. I am so thankful I allowed Mrs. B to
repeatedly rip my papers apart, to challenge my contributions in
class, and to help me uncover insights that, without her guiding
me, I never would have found. It’s not so much that I walked
out of English knowing about Hamlet, or Flannery O’Conner, it’s
that I walked out a more disciplined student and person. Mrs. B
is always there for a smile, a chat, a hug – whatever you need,
in or out of the class, she is there. Even though I am an alumna,
when I come back to HD, Mrs. B makes me feel like family. I can
honestly say being in Mrs. B’s class changed my life, and it sparked
a passion in me for writing, learning, and academics.
Jenna DeGroot ‘13
One thing I will never forget about Mrs. B is the time she
decided to play a little trick on me when I skipped her class. My
friend, who chose not to skip class, was texting me keeping me
posted on the situation in the classroom. I was telling her how I
was so scared Mrs. B would be mad at me. She was my favourite