Christian Teacher of the Year: Every school should start with a kindergarten teacher like Mari Koester. Here’s why

Straight from the experts, here are the first three steps to starting a successful Christian school: 

1. Do a market assessment.

2. Define your school identity.

3. Get yourself a Mari Koester to teach kindergarten. 

The formula certainly worked for St. John’s Lutheran School in Denver, where kindergarten teacher since 2009 Mari Koester has been named Educator of the Year by the four-state Rocky Mountain District of Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod – and last weekend was celebrated as one of 12 Christian Teachers of the Year by The Herzog Foundation, publisher of The Lion. 

As it turns out, a great kindergarten teacher like Koester is also a school’s best recruitment and retention tool. 

“Simply put, she is the key drawcard in attracting families during the crucial transition from our ELC (Early Learning Center) to our K-8 school,” principal Dr. Phillip Barnard writes of Koester. 

“Countless families have chosen our elementary school for their child’s education because they wanted their child in Mrs. Koester’s care. 

“A common refrain among our 8th grade parents is: ‘We came to St John’s for Mari Koester, and we stayed another 8 years.’”

An interview with the ebullient Koester illustrates why, as she humbly tears up at several points – notably at her principal’s high praise. 

“It means the world to me, honestly,” she tells The Lion. “I’m just humbled that God would use me to do this – because I’m like, ‘God, you know the deepest parts of my heart and all the ways that I mess up, too.’ 

“And so, that He uses me to do that – and to hear that families want to come to St. John’s and experience kindergarten through me – it means the world. And it is very humbling, because any good I do is Him.”

Koester’s worn-on-the-sleeve humility further shows when asked what feedback about her has stuck with her. Her answer is all about others, not herself – and how she gets a lot of attention simply by often being the only kindergarten teacher on staff.

“Everyone else is also phenomenal. It’s just they know they know me,” she argues. 

“I think what’s really special is just the sense of community that [students and families] feel, not only in kindergarten, but just in our entire school. People will tell us that the moment that they walk through our doors that it feels like a family. So, a lot of that community and how you treat one another is so huge. 

“And that’s something that I really strive for every day in my classroom, is my students are going to hear from me so many times that they are beautiful creations made by God. They are unique and wonderful, and God has a special plan for them to do something. 

“And so, we need to treat every single person that way. And I think our whole school just lives that out so beautifully.

“My colleagues are really my family, and all parents can sense that. When they come into the school they say, ‘Wow, like, people really care about what’s going on in your life when they ask, hey, how’s it going? It’s not just the simple, oh, good. You know, they really want to know.’” 

One way Koester has become such a drawing card, other than treating her students in a godly way, is innovating. 

“At the beginning of the school year we read the children’s book How Full is Your Bucket?” she says. “Each school year we look at this through a Christian lens, tying this to how God desires us to treat one another. As a kindergarten class, we are constantly striving to be ‘bucket fillers,’ sharing Jesus’ light and love with the people around us.” 

An idea she borrowed from another popular kindergarten teacher is the “Teddy Bear and Porcupine” test: Is what you’re saying to someone else cuddly – or prickly? 

“We start off our year saying how Jesus is the ultimate teddy bear. And we want to be teddy bears. Teddy bears, when we hug them, make us feel so great and build us up in that warm, fuzzy feeling. We want all of our actions and our words to be that way to others, right?

“Porcupines? Ouch. You know, they prickle, and we don’t want our actions and our words to be that way.” 

Parents will occasionally report to Koester that their child put what they say to the same test – and will have to sheepishly admit to their child they could’ve said it in a nicer way. 

Oh, and if you can get a Mari Koester that plays the ukulele like this one does, even better. 

“People know we’re coming down the hallway,” she laughs, “because we like to celebrate everyone’s birthday. And so, I just take the kindergarteners with me and bring the ukulele. And so, we just start strumming and we just have my cute little band behind me and it’s really fun.” 

Koester also is a kindergarten teacher who’s an expert in pouring solid foundations for budding little Christians – something she believes is vital for the future of a free and responsible citizenry.

The best public schools can teach manners, after all, but without a moral and spiritual basis for them, they’re just rules that can be easily broken or forgotten.

“Christian education is really that catalyst for teaching our students and our families how we’re supposed to treat one another, right? It’s [that] every person is made in the image of God, and that’s how we should treat every single person on this planet.

“And so, for the future of our entire country, if we want to be a people that listen and understand each other and can do things without fighting or hurting or killing, it’s incredibly huge. 

“I think it’s going to be so important for us to make sure that our students have that strong biblical worldview, because they’re going to be bombarded from all sides when they leave our doors – and not just when they graduate, but every single day. 

“And we want them to hold strong to their faith and be able to stand up and say what they believe is right, being ‘high truth’ and being ‘high love.’” 

 Asked what advice she’d give other Christian educators, Koester again chokes up with humility. 

“I would say honestly, be who you are – that which God made you to be,” she says. 

“It’s so easy to do the ‘compare’ game. Don’t compare yourself to others because God says, ‘You are beautiful, and I have a special job for you to do.’ So, I want them to know, be who God made you to be, because that’s exactly what those kindergarteners need, is them.”

The Christian Teacher of the Year honor is part of the Herzog Foundation’s Excellence in Christian Education award series. Each of the 12 winners this year attended a special professional development and recognition event Saturday in Washington, D.C.