Hi there! My name is Grace Katharine Schmidt. I am an alumna of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, where I received both my M.A. in Reading Education through the Accelerated Admissions (4+1) program in May 2020 and my B.S. in Elementary Education in May 2019. Additionally, I have my N.C. Professional Educator’s Initial License for Elementary Education (K-6). I look forward to starting my first year of teaching this 2020-2021 year!
What I Like
In my free time, I enjoy reading, cooking, baking, hiking, and watching movies. Much of my personal library is comprised of children’s literature. Some of my favorite children’s book authors include (but are by no means limited to!) Mo Willems, Lois Lowry, Judy Blume, and Peter Brown (to name a few)! Other things I like include: my brothers, my friends, animals, coffee, tea, running, traveling, and eating.
What I Dislike
I dislike loose hairs that stick to people’s shirts, rush hour traffic, and mushrooms. I dislike when people are rude, self-absorbed, and/or bigoted. I dislike inequality and inequity of resources. I dislike possums (even though I know they are important for our environments). I dislike when things are unbalanced or uneven.
How I Look
I am 5 foot, 6 and one-quarter inches tall. I have green eyes (but they used to be blue as a kid). I am pale as a ghost during the winter and can turn red as a lobster during the summer (SPF is a lifesaver!).
Throughout my life I have had different hair colors—I was born with black hair, then it fell out and turned light brown, then in middle school I began experimenting with dying my hair: crimson, “natural red,” purple, dark brown… for much of high school I kept it dark brown, then when I started college I let it fade back to its more natural light brown for a few years. Last year I got bored of it again and bleached it so I was blonde. Now I am trying out dark brown again… who knows what I’ll do with it next!
I have been declared as “fashionable” by the 4th graders I student taught, and I try to hold myself to their standard. I am proud of my strong body and all it does for me everyday: walk, run, hike, and so much more.
How I Act
I am hardworking: when I do something I care about, I put my whole self into doing it.
I am reliable: I can be trusted and when I say I’ll do something, I’ll do it.
I am loyal: if I am your friend, I will support you for a lifetime.
I am meticulous: I like for things to be done well, and often put extra work into making something perfect.
I can be funny: I like to laugh and I like to make other people laugh.
I am an intersectional feminist: I think everyone should be treated equally, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, ability, etc.
I am compassionate and empathetic: I always try my best to be kind to others and understand and share the feelings of others.
What You Should Know About Me…
- I was born in Orlando, FL but spent the majority of my childhood in Asheville, NC.
- I have two younger brothers and we were all raised by our mom and dad.
- Back home in Asheville, my family has 4 dogs, 5 cats, and 7 guinea pigs!
- I am a vegetarian and try to be vegan when possible.
- Fun fact: I can say the alphabet backwards! I learned how to do this because my mom learned as an only child growing up and I was determined to say it as fast as her (still working on this!).
- After teaching in my own classroom for several years, some day I would like to become a Reading Specialist!
Ms. Schmidt's Reading Blog 