(Here at Pascack Valley, we are very fortunate to have talented and caring teachers who provide us with so much knowledge and expertise. Have you ever wondered about how and why our teachers chose to work in the field of education? Or what experiences have shaped who they are, and what makes them special?)

Ms. Karen Kosch’s Honors World History class lessons are dynamic and discussion-filled. She opens each lesson with popular music playing in the background, and she always welcomes her students with a smile.

In addition to Honors World History, Kosch also teaches two semester classes: Analysis of History Through Film, and Religion In America.

As she has been working at Pascack Valley for over 30 years, Kosch is one of the school’s most tenured faculty members. Kosch is not only an enthusiastic and caring teacher, but she is also wise and engaging.

Kosch’s childhood helped lead her here to where she is now.

While she was young, her mother battled cancer.

“Ironically, as I think about it, a good part of my childhood also revolved around the fact that my mom was sick with cancer, and we were always aware of the ups and downs that came with that, but I think it made us stronger and closer.  And my mom, regardless of how sick she may have been, never complained. She always put all of us first,” said Kosch.

It was her mother’s perseverance and devotion to her family that Kosch attributes to her stable and positive family life.

She said, “We all had a very good childhood because our parents made sure of that.”

Kosch has three older brothers, an older sister, and a younger brother and she still resides in the same quaint home in which she grew up in Hawthorne, New Jersey.

“My childhood was one filled with love and fun. Having so many siblings and being part of a large family guaranteed feeling loved and safe,” Kosch said.

She frequently “played teacher” as a child, and always wrote on the chalkboard she had in her basement.

Her interest in history and politics led her to study political science, and she was on a path to become a lawyer.

However, it wasn’t until college when she first heard comments from her professors about her gift of educating.

She said, “After giving a speech or making a presentation in some of my classes, a few college professors asked me if I ever thought about being a teacher. I always had the idea in the back of my mind, but thought that my career plan was in place.”

Following her professors’ recommendations,  she decided to follow her childhood dream to become a teacher.

The many years of working at Pascack Valley have brought many changes to the structure of the Pascack Valley school building and the way students and teachers research and communicate.

“Physically, the building has changed. Our Social Studies Department used to be housed in what is now the Media Center. Our staff has changed a lot, too. Over 31 years, I have worked with many people who have left and many new teachers who have started a career during my time here,” she said.  

She also noted that the way the faculty and students do research has changed a lot, as she said, “Now, with the use of laptops, we have access to information immediately.  The research process has changed. No longer do we look at microfilm or borrow magazines to photocopy articles.”

She said, “Students used to pass notes in class, now they e-mail and text. Ways of communicating are very different, there is less face to face and more digital communication. There is also greater access to creative ways of teaching, learning, and presenting.”

Kosch’s lessons are always interactive and creative and she incorporates technology to enhance them. Over the years, Kosch said that educational trends have come and gone but “the best teaching practice hasn’t changed, and that best practice is engaging students and building relationships”.

Kosch had a valuable and memorable piece of advice for the Pascack Valley students: “Get involved. Get involved with learning, Embrace learning, accept opportunities, and get in the game.”

And her advice for new teachers: “Develop relationships with your students first; the content will come soon after.”