Laura Burkemper
3rd Grade Teacher
Master of Arts, Education, Lindenwood University
In 2020, after nearly two decades teaching at traditional brick-and-mortar schools, Laura Burkemper joined the faculty at Missouri Connections Academy. Unlike many professions, becoming a teacher isn’t just a career choice, but a calling. For Ms. Burkemper, being a teacher is about having the opportunity to change lives.
An Eye-Opening Experience
Like many educators – and like many families – Ms. Burkemper was deeply familiar with the traditional approach to education, in traditional classrooms in traditional brick-and-mortar buildings. She had some reservations, for herself and for the children she would be teaching.
She recalls a conversation with Missouri Connections Academy school leader Lynsie Hunt in which they discussed these concerns. To her credit, Ms. Hunt made a compelling case about the advantages of online school. And, Ms. Burkemper reports, “Lynsie was right.”
As a teacher, she has found there are all kinds of ways she can make learning fun in an online environment. She is constantly finding different ways to engage the students. Ms. Burkemper also now understands how beneficial Connections Academy’s flexible learning model can be for children. “Not everyone is an 8:00-3:00 kind of worker student,” she says.
Boating, Baseball … and More Baseball
Outside of school, Ms. Burkemper likes spending time at the lake, especially out on the family boat. She also enjoys jogging.
Ms. Burkemper’s son plays competitive baseball, and she watches as many games as possible, no matter where those games happen to be. And if her son isn’t playing? Ms. Burkemper heads out to (beautiful!) Busch Stadium to root, root, root for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Our students really get a great foundation to give them the tools they need to succeed.
— Ms. Burkemper