about Karen

A variety of biographical notes follow. They can be used on conference programs or to introduce Karen. Portraits of Karen are available for download in the gallery at the bottom this page.

Karen Hume is a well known Canadian teacher, administrator, author, speaker, and workshop leader. The winner of three “Teacher of the Year” awards, Karen has taught all but four grades in K-12 (she especially enjoyed Grades 7 and 8), and has also been a teacher-librarian.

As an administrator, Karen worked in a high-needs K-8 school and then led her district’s efforts in reculturing schools to meet the needs of at-risk and struggling learners in Grades 7-12.

Karen has her M.Ed. in curriculum and teacher development, has been a member of a university research group funded to investigate the role of talk in the classroom, and is a member of the editorial board of an online action research journal.

Karen’s writing, workshop facilitation, and keynote addresses revolve around differentiated instruction, which she sees as an organizing framework for everything that happens in teaching and learning at all levels of a school system. Her specific areas of interest within this framework include effective and responsive instruction and assessment; engaging the adolescent learner; developing effective learning communities for students and adults; literacy education; evidence-informed decision making; and change processes for adult learners.

A twenty-three year educator, author, professional workshop leader, and keynote speaker, Karen Hume draws from her wealth of experiences and extensive knowledge base to provide focused, practical, and inspiring support to teachers and administrators.

As a teacher of young adolescents for most of her fifteen years in the classroom, Karen is passionate about meeting the academic and developmental needs of all young people. As the former Student Success Leader (system principal responsible for Grades 7-12) in her Board, and after years of attending professional learning inservices directed toward someone’s general idea of what the audience might need, Karen is equally passionate about personalizing the professional learning opportunities provided to adults.

Karen Hume writes professional books for teachers and administrators, as well as literacy resources for students in grades 7-10. Karen’s writings, and her popular workshops and keynote addresses, are based on her two dozen years as a classroom teacher, administrator, and system principal. Karen’s particular skill is her ability to link theory and practice so that teachers and administrators recognize differentiated instruction and assessment as practical and manageable.

Half a Dozen Tidbits about Karen

Karen

1. Has a writing studio overlooking her pond and forest. And yes, it’s every bit as idyllic as it sounds!

2. Has a dog named Kodee. He’s a super-intelligent cross between a black lab and a border collie. Karen isn’t delusional about animal intelligence. Her former pets—three St. Bernards—were all intellectually challenged.

3. Is really bad at any and all activities involving spatial intelligence.

4. Reads anything and everything except historical fiction.

5. Dreams of spending a month in Wales, living and writing in a thatched-roof cottage by the sea.

6. Wants to hike British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast.