Krissy Ludlam set her sights on teaching – and where she’d teach – while growing up in Naperville.
“If you had asked me when I was 7 years old, my answer would have been that I want to be a second-grade teacher at Elmwood,” Ludlam said.
It was her second-grade teacher, Margo Toth, at Elmwood who made learning so much fun that Ludlam wanted to be just like her.
“When I was little, I would go home from school and play school for hours,” Ludlam said. “As I grew older, I still wanted to be a teacher, but realized that my preferred grade level at my preferred school was unlikely.”
She attended Lincoln Junior High and Naperville Central High School before graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016. Months later, she learned that Elmwood had a second-grade teaching position available.
“I applied and interviewed and was thrilled to accept my position,” Ludlam said. “It’s a surreal experience to be teaching right across the hall from where I decided to be a teacher.”
We sat down with Ludlam to learn more.
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Number of years teaching: 4 years, all at Elmwood.
What have you done there? I started the Board Game Club at Elmwood with my colleague, Juliann Sturgeon. We know that kids don’t play board games like they used to and we feel that there is a lot of valuable lessons, such as taking turns, sharing, and winning and losing appropriately that can be taught through board games. I also have been working as the assistant sponsor of Theatre Central, (Naperville Central High School’s drama club) for a year. It’s been a really fun experience because I was president of Theatre Central when I went to Naperville Central.
Degrees: I have a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s in educational technology from University of St. Francis. I am currently working on my second master’s in trauma and resilience in the educational setting through Concordia University-Portland.
What was your best subject in school? My favorite subject in school was always reading. I will read just about anything and love getting lost in new stories. Still today, one of my favorite parts of teaching is reading to my students.
What was your least favorite subject in school? Science.
If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be? I think I would be a pediatrician. I love working with kids and am passionate about making a positive difference in their lives, so that would be another way I could accomplish that goal.
What’s the best part about being a teacher? Always the kids! My students amaze me on a daily basis. They are funny, creative, and incredibly hardworking. I also love seeing the growth that students make each year, not only academically, but also in their evolving personalities.
What do you do like to do on your time off? I stay busy with graduate school and club sponsoring. Outside of school, I really enjoy to stay active. I love to golf, hike, and camp when the weather is nice. Each summer, my dad and I take a camping trip to a different national park. I also love watching any Fighting Illini sport. When I have down time, my favorite way to relax is to read. I make weekly trips to the Naperville Public Library and grab all different types of books off the shelves.
What have you learned from your students? One of the most important things that I have learned from my students is to find happiness in the little things. Every year, we do a read aloud of Lois Lowry’s “All About Sam.” The main character, Sam, is a goofy 2 year old who is learning all about the world around him. There is nothing better than (when) the whole class belly laughs. That happens each year as we read this book and enjoy each other’s company.
Three words that best describe you: Passionate, hardworking and family-oriented.
Jane Donahue is a freelancer reporter for the Naperville Sun.