About
Hello and welcome to Catholic Coffee Shop! My name is Mrs. J. Over the last decade, I've worked in Catholic education as a middle school language arts teacher, reading specialist, and classical curriculum writer. These days, I'm enjoying the adventure of raising my own three children.
My passion is finding authentic ways to inspire young people and their educators to embrace their creativity and use it to glorify God.
As a classroom teacher, one of my favorite ways to encourage creativity was to host a simple sharing event I called "Coffee Shop." I would pick a date and let my students select a creative work to share or perform, similar to an open-mic event at a coffee shop. On the day of Coffee Shop, my students would bring in refreshments to share, and we would sit back and celebrate each student's work.
I still delight in memories of my students sharing their poetry, artwork, speeches, and songs. I loved listening to their stories and learning about what inspired them. Most of all, I loved seeing how these shared creative experiences built community and opened up opportunities for meaningful discussions about God and the way He is at work in our lives.
Over the years, I've shifted from calling "Coffee Shop" to "Creative Café," and I’ve begun to use it at home with my children! For older writers (middle-grade primarily), I've created a free website called CreativeCafe.org. Here, I post quotes, music, art, and story prompts that young creatives can use to spark their creativity. The collectables and prompts featured are perfect for contemplating, connecting, collecting, and creating!
My passion is finding authentic ways to inspire young people and their educators to embrace their creativity and use it to glorify God.
As a classroom teacher, one of my favorite ways to encourage creativity was to host a simple sharing event I called "Coffee Shop." I would pick a date and let my students select a creative work to share or perform, similar to an open-mic event at a coffee shop. On the day of Coffee Shop, my students would bring in refreshments to share, and we would sit back and celebrate each student's work.
I still delight in memories of my students sharing their poetry, artwork, speeches, and songs. I loved listening to their stories and learning about what inspired them. Most of all, I loved seeing how these shared creative experiences built community and opened up opportunities for meaningful discussions about God and the way He is at work in our lives.
Over the years, I've shifted from calling "Coffee Shop" to "Creative Café," and I’ve begun to use it at home with my children! For older writers (middle-grade primarily), I've created a free website called CreativeCafe.org. Here, I post quotes, music, art, and story prompts that young creatives can use to spark their creativity. The collectables and prompts featured are perfect for contemplating, connecting, collecting, and creating!
I invite you to grab a hot mug of coffee and join me for inspiration and resources designed to cultivate the creativity of your students, whether you are teaching at home or in the classroom!
