Charlotte Kroeker

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Teacher

ckroeker@westgatemennonite.org

Charlotte graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1983 with a major in German and a double minor in English and History. Her teaching career began in 1984 with pioneering the German Bilingual Program at Donwood Elementary School. In 2006 she decided on a new challenge and has taught Grades 6-12 German at Westgate since then. Teaching a language has always been an adventure for her. She chairs the committee for the Manitoba-Germany Exchange program, on behalf of the Manitoba Teachers of German, because she is passionate about learning a new language and expanding students' view of the world by living in another country and culture with another family. She is grateful for the support of her husband Stan and her three sons (all Westgate Grads): Alex, Jeremy (& Sarah) and Julian (& Naomi and grandson Milo). Her church family at Douglas Mennonite Church has also been a very important part of her life. Here is a quote from her favourite theologian: "I discovered later, and I'm still discovering right up to this moment, that is it only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith. By this-worldliness I mean living unreservedly in life's duties, problems, successes and failures. In doing so we throw ourselves completely into the arms of God, taking seriously, not our own sufferings, but those of God in the world. That, I think, is faith." • Dietrich Bonhoeffer