Kat Henry – 6th-8th Special Education at Pulaski International School – Chicago, IL
Kat, a special education teacher for the past 13 years at Pulaski International School of Chicago, loves finding ways to integrate her passions and hobbies into her teaching practice. Theater, yoga, gardening, songwriting, nature journaling, model building, and cooking are some of the activities she’s woven into her instruction in the hopes of whetting kids’ creativity, engagement, and curiosity to extend beyond the school environment.
Cooking, in particular, seems to ignite a spark amongst her students, and about five years ago, Kat sought a small grant from the Chicago Foundation for Education to outfit her classroom with some essential kitchen appliances. While her students are busy preparing a recipe together, she’s observed improvements around teamwork and communication skills, better attention to detail and critical thinking, and open-mindedness to try new ingredients. Kat is thrilled to be a Pilot Light Fellow this year and can’t wait to explore more in-depth ways to bring culinary education into the classroom.