Carrie Koenen’s teaching career began on her grandparent’s northeast Iowa farm. During the summers, she would sit with her younger sister, filling out worksheets she had made on how to write the letter S, as the two pretended they were both at school.
Now, as she prepares to retire at the end of the school year and reflects on over 20 years of teaching English at Lab, Ms. Koenen looks back fondly on engaging in rich discussions with students over her favorite books.
For as long as she can remember, Ms. Koenen was drawn to the world of literary critique.
“I’ve always loved reading, but there was something about English and analysis that I found challenging and wanted to work on,” she said. “I wanted to solve what I saw as a sort of problem. I wanted to know how to develop a thoughtful interpretation of a text. I didn’t mind the trial-and-error process of getting to that point.”
Spurred on by her own high school English teachers who provided detailed feedback on her essays and encouragement to hone her craft, Ms. Koenen decided in college that she wanted to become an English teacher herself. She earned a bachelor of arts in English from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before completing a master of arts in teaching at the University of Chicago. She completed her graduate school coursework right in Judd Hall, back when it housed the University of Chicago department of education.
Ms. Koenen’s favorite part of teaching is connecting with students and seeing them learn to love reading.
“The discussions that I would have with students around great books such as ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Moby Dick’ or ‘Watchmen’ — the students were so interested and were such serious readers and it was a lot of fun,” she said. “My passion for certain books would collide with their passion to learn and talk about stories. It was magical.”
Ms. Koenen hopes that her love of stories inspires a passion for reading and an enthusiasm for the subject to her students.
“Any time a student comes in and says they have loved a book, and they can’t believe how much they’re enjoying a book, is such a great moment,” she said. “I feel like I’ve fostered, guided or was just part of someone having that special connection with books.”
English department chair Rachel Nielsen has worked with Ms. Koenen since Ms. Nielsen came to Lab in the fall of 2004, and they both taught Analysis and Composition, a course the department used to offer. She admires Ms. Koenen’s thoughtfulness and deliberate approach to teaching.
“She’s not someone who draws a lot of attention to herself, but she knows who students are and what they need,” Ms. Nielsen said. “She’s unswayed by fads; she’s rooted and knows how to get students to understand a text.”
Sophomore Dorothy Jennett appreciates how Ms. Koenen leads thoughtful class discussions, ensuring all student voices are heard.
“I love how she incorporates activities such as two-minute, speed-dating-style discussions, where you get to talk to classmates, especially people you might not normally talk to,” Dorothy said. “It really gives you a sense of everyone’s perspective.”
Ms. Koenen looks forward to new adventures in retirement, including a dream visit to the Jane Austen Centre in Bath in the United Kingdom. As she gets ready to depart U-High, she underlines the importance of students exploring books outside of school.
“Read for pleasure,” she said, nodding her head with emphasis. “I think that has gotten lost. It’s documented that students aren’t reading as much outside on their own anymore. Part of it is because there’s just so much else going on at school, but it is fun when I come across students who are big readers, independent readers.”
From her Iowa roots to her career in Chicago, Ms. Koenen has shaped a whole generation of Lab students, instilling them with a literary passion that will endure long after her retirement.
