Thomas Freesmeier
Pilgrim Park Middle School freesmet@elmbrookschools.org
I have been an educator for 17 years and have my Masters degree in Teacher Leading and National Board Teaching Certification. I have taught students in 6-8 grade mostly in Social Studies. My “trial by fire” was teaching in an At-Risk program for 3 years. I had to be good all the time, because they would not accept anything less (shouldn’t that be the case for ALL students). I credit those years as some of the most formative as far as strategy and technique are concerned. I frequently present around the country at conferences like Association for Middle Level Education and Wisconsin Council of Social Studies. I served as the regional trainer for inquiry standard implementation for Northern Illinois and have spent years as an instructional coach and department chair. In 2017 and 2019 I was recognized as a recipient for the Golden Apple for Excellence in Education. I have begun my new challenge and that is co-hosting and the production of a podcast: TwoTeachersPodcast.com