Kathleen Blough recently received her Masters in Teacher Leadership from the Graduate School at High Tech High. She spent time researching and collecting data on how cross-age dialogue journals and critical friend work develops students who are self-directed, life long learners. Her book, It Takes a Community: Developing Self-Directed Learners is available on Amazon. She also obtained her BA (Social Ecology) from the University of California, Irvine (UCI). She has a Professional Clear Multiple Subject Credential, a Cross Cultural Language and Academic Development certificate, and a Gifted and Talented Education certificate. She has taught grades 3-8, taught in Oceanside for 12 years, and has been with our program since its inception six years ago. She has been in GATE training for over 15 years. She has attended advanced Javits institutes for gifted education at USC with Dr. Sandra Kaplan. She has provided teacher training in Advanced Reading Strategies at the California Association for the Gifted (CAG) conference. She was a participating teacher at the Colonial Williamsburg Institute in Virginia. She was honored to receive San Diego County’s GATE teacher of the year and Teacher of the year at Palmquist Elementary School in 2005.

She lives in Carlsbad with her supportive husband, wonderful boys and pup (Rob, Tanner, Connor, and Angel). Her family is involved in many sports activities, and they are die-hard Angels and Chargers Fans! Quote to live by: “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can CHANGE the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead