Please share a little background about yourself:
My name is Katja Nagel and I am a Lead Primary Teacher in the Hudson Tea building. I grew up in Frickhausen, Germany for 18 years. I met my husband, Patty, at a local wine festival. We moved to the United States in 2007 and live in Randolph, New Jersey. My favorite part of being in America is the fried food, specifically french fries with ketchup, and please don’t forget the mayo!
Our son, Skyler, attends HMS in the Pre-Primary classroom. My husband and I have a strong love for animals and have three dogs and 3 parrots. It’s truly a full house.
What inspired you to becoming a teacher?
Back in Germany, I was placed in a program teaching in a Kindergarten classroom. I fondly recall being in that exact classroom as a child. I knew I wanted to give children the same happy memories that I had at that age. After leaving the program, I knew I was destined to inspire young minds and become a teacher.
What is your favorite area in the Montessori classroom?
Katja’s favorite area is Science and Culture which is often discussed during morning circle. She truly believes this is the heart of the classroom. She loves seeing the magic in the children’s eyes when they experiment and explore.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
In her spare time, Katja is known to pick up a fantasy science fiction book anytime she can. She also loves to fill up her cart with items from CB2 and enjoys decorating her home with Scandinavian designs. Her family spends their weekends exploring coffee shops around Northern New Jersey. So far, her favorite shop is Maria’s in Chester, New Jersey. ~ they have the best hot chocolate!
If you see Ms. Katja around Hoboken, stop and say hello!