Who is Mrs. Steinkamp?
WHAT I DO:
I teach government and world cultures at Norfolk Senior High School. My husband, Phil, and I have two "children", Tom and Lindsay. Both of our "children" attended Norfolk Senior High and are now in college. We moved to Norfolk after living in Neligh for 8 years. WHY I DO IT:
Education is my passion. I have been a teacher for over 12 years, and I have worked in education for more than 20. Before becoming a teacher, I worked in college administration. I developed youth programs and was a lobbyist/citizen activist on Capitol Hill. Much of what I did then is still in place today -- 18 years later. I have taught all subjects, grade levels, and ages. I consider myself to be a life-long learner. I hold a degree in history and anthropology from Colorado State University, and I continue to take classes and research in both fields. I am soon to complete my master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction in the Social Sciences. My favorite research project was investigating how children learn in village cultures in Senegal, West Africa. It was a life-changing experience.
WHAT ABOUT AWAY FROM SCHOOL?
Outside of school, my activities include directing weeks at a Bible camp, directing children's plays, painting, drawing, reading, sewing, cooking, and local government involvement. I have traveled to many countries on my own and with students. My family also plans an adventure in the United States every summer. We have visited Congressmen in Washington, searched for a petrified forest, hunted for hidden waterfalls, toured Civil War battlefields, camped along the Oregon trail, and cross-country skied part of the Continental Divide. We frequently visited Colonial Virginia (my family home), and I have fulfilled my dream of visiting some of the oldest cities on the East Coast. In 2007, Mrs. Thompson and I took 10 students to Munich, Paris, Brittany, and Normandy, and I travelled on to London with six of them for a week. In 2008, I studied government at Villanova, Boston University, and the United States Constitution Center. My most exciting adventure has been teaching English to children in Thailand, and I will continue to do that each summer. Obviously, I like to explore!
WHAT I WANT MY STUDENTS TO KNOW:
I teach because I enjoy spending time with you. You liven up my days with your stories and your view of life. Even on our worst days, I feel blessed to be around you. If I could tell you anything that would make life easier ... I wouldn't. There's a lot to be learned by living. One of the most important things is to laugh at yourself once in a while. We all learn best by making our own mistakes and solving our own problems with the help of others who care about us. Taking that away from you would be robbing you of the very thing that will make you strong men and women of character.
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