Introducing KARIN UHLENHOP
As a kid, I loved stories - reading them, writing them, living them, or imagining them. While I was raised in Wilmette and graduated from New Trier in 1989, my inspiration came from the vast world around me. My journey has taken me to some of those fascinating places, but I am not done yet . . .
My view of history and literature changed when I entered high school and was handed The Odyssey - the first book I ever hated - and was required to write analytical essays. For the first time, reading and writing became daily expectations and, at times, dreaded chores that came with deadlines. But I still loved the stories behind the assignments.
My twenties were marked by professional uncertainty as I tried to find a job that I loved, that engaged me in the way I saw my parents and my friends enthused by their careers. With more free time, I found myself drawn again to reading and writing for pleasure, and I was also exposed to colleagues’ children, whose energy and inquisitiveness was infectious. People began telling me I should be a teacher.
Eighteen years later, I love my career. I spend my waking hours with teenagers, reading and writing and speaking and listening. We share ideas and stories - our own and others’. I try to help them understand that the written word matters. While they may not directly experience the caste system of India as in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things or the concentration camps as in Elie Wiesel’s Night, they are likely to encounter forces similar to those that created those societies, and they must be empowered to use their own words and their individual voices to build a better future. Even more importantly, though, I believe literature and language especially matter because they have the power to create a shared understanding of diverse experiences and cultures. Though it may feel like it sometimes, we do not live in a bubble.
Today, I love The Odyssey and I love helping young people through their journeys, however epic or ordinary they may be. The obstacles of high school may be less fantastical, but students’ ability to overcome them, to grow and learn, is just as inspiring and heroic.
Testimonials
“Ms. Uhlenhop designs lessons that are relevant, motivating, and engage students in active learning. . . . [She] creates a learning environment where all students feel welcomed and respected, one that is both safe and consistent for her students. She is a teacher that students trust and admire and is an asset to our community. Ms. Uhlenhop holds her students accountable and to high standards . . . [and] provides constant feedback and support to assure all students are capable of achieving their academic as well as personal goals. She is a teacher that students, parents, colleagues trust and admire.”
— GINA P. (former administrator)
“I wanted to take the time to say thank you for everything you did to support me this year, both academically and personally. . . . Your innovative activities and enthusiasm are something I dearly admire, and I'm grateful that I can trust you to give me good life advice. My love for diverse cultures grew because your class was always engaging and interesting. . . . I don't know how, but you worked miracles. For the first time in my life, I feel utterly proud of my skills as a writer, and that's all thanks to you. I'm endlessly grateful for your unconditional concern for me and your students. It makes you an unforgettable teacher.”
— EUGENIA W. (former student)
“Thank you for putting up with my annoying emails. Thank you for answering all of my pestering questions. Thank you for being understanding, compassionate, and empathetic. . . . I always knew I was interested in the English language, but it was you who made me realize my love for literature.”
— NANCY A. (former student)
“Karin is one of the most intelligent, well-travelled, and sophisticated educators that I have had the honor of working with in my 30 years of teaching. I have never seen a colleague work harder to create, implement, and (most importantly) assess and provide authentic feedback for students. Karin is absolutely on a mission to help students become skilled and confident writers. She spends hundreds of hours outside of school working diligently and with incredible focus to not just ‘grade’ student writing but to help our students revise, edit, and reconstruct their writing with specific goals in mind. The evidence of her success is the pilgrimage of college students who come back every break to see her.”
— KAREN T. (former colleague)
BA in Political Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
M.Ed. in Teaching Secondary English, National-Louis University
Indiana State Educator License with Endorsements in English, Government, Psychology, and French
International Baccalaureate (IB) Extended Essay Supervisor
Indiana Wesleyan University Mentor Teacher
Member of National Council of Teachers of English
Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers
Top Scholars Student Recognition Awards
