Karen Langbehn will retire this spring after a 26-year career teaching in Great Falls Public Schools.
She began her career in the fall of 1994 and worked with students as a K-6 math tutor for six weeks at Whittier Elementary School. That fall, in October, Karin then moved into a teaching position as a kindergarten teacher at Longfellow Elementary. She continued at Longfellow as a Title 1 Literacy teacher for grades four through five from 1995 until 2000.
A move to Morningside Elementary offered Karin an opportunity to teach fourth grade from 2000-2008.
Her career journey took Karin to West Elementary, where she currently has worked as the Title 1 Literacy and Math teacher for K-6. Karin said, “I have learned that it is important to take care of yourself and to remember, no matter what the pressure, that it’s really all about kids. What makes me most proud is knowing that I made a difference for some of my students. Some of them became readers, and readers who like to read. Other students may have continued to struggle, but they knew I was in their corner.”
After she retires, Karin will miss seeing her students and colleagues every day. However, she said, “I plan to spend time with family, and once COVID-19 is over I will volunteer to hold babies at the hospital and travel.”
She began her career in the fall of 1994 and worked with students as a K-6 math tutor for six weeks at Whittier Elementary School. That fall, in October, Karin then moved into a teaching position as a kindergarten teacher at Longfellow Elementary. She continued at Longfellow as a Title 1 Literacy teacher for grades four through five from 1995 until 2000.
A move to Morningside Elementary offered Karin an opportunity to teach fourth grade from 2000-2008.
Her career journey took Karin to West Elementary, where she currently has worked as the Title 1 Literacy and Math teacher for K-6. Karin said, “I have learned that it is important to take care of yourself and to remember, no matter what the pressure, that it’s really all about kids. What makes me most proud is knowing that I made a difference for some of my students. Some of them became readers, and readers who like to read. Other students may have continued to struggle, but they knew I was in their corner.”
After she retires, Karin will miss seeing her students and colleagues every day. However, she said, “I plan to spend time with family, and once COVID-19 is over I will volunteer to hold babies at the hospital and travel.”