About me,  George Gilmer

Background

I have spent most of my life working with children in grades 4-7. I grew up in a summer camp in the North Carolina mountains where I spent many summers working with tweens teaching outdoor skills, nature conservation, non-competitive recreation, team-building, and friendship-making. 

After that I spent 30 years teaching school in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Durham in a total of eight different elementary and middle schools. That includes 11 years teaching 4th and 5th grades, eight years as a gifted education specialist (grades 2-5), 10 years teaching 6th grade English, social studies, and creative writing (mostly as a gifted-ed LEAP teacher in CHCCS)—plus one year of 7th grade.

Throughout those thirty years, my focus has always been on making school intellectually stimulating (fun to learn), academically challenging (learning difficult stuff), community-oriented (a focus on friendships and belonging), and relatable (teaching what matters to kids).

Now retired from the school setting, I am currently writing and illustrating children's poetry for tweens which I hope to publish in the next year. I have a big dog, a small wife, two grown children, and one tiny grandchild living in New York. I do a lot of walking, including weeks-long treks through Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and Japan.

Degrees & Certifications

• M.A.Ed., Social Studies Education (6-9), UNC-CH

• A.B.Ed., Middle Grades Education (4-6), UNC-CH

• A.A., Lees McRae College  (Go Bobcats!)

• Held National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification for 20 years in grades 4-6 General Education

• Held NC Licensure in K-6, 4-6, 6-9 English, 6-9 Social Studies, K-12 Gifted Education

In addition—I have mentored other teachers, trained student teachers, made professional presentations around the state, developed teaching curricula, received education grants, and was named the CHCCS Zora Rashkis Teaching Chair in 2017.

Most importantly, I still enjoy working with children of this age!  — George