About

Life is short and precious. I have no time to waste on inauthentic education that just develops obedience or reinforces outdated, arbitrary ways of knowing. I live for prosocial education - education that develops more honest, autonomous, caring, creative, and interdependent human beings. 

I have a varied background: 6+ years as a classroom teacher (including special ed and bilingual / ESL), 8 years as a parent-child developmental therapist and Floortime practitioner, and 2+ years homeschooling my own child. I also have experience as a community organizer, adult educator, and circle keeper.

Kate giving a speech outdoors in a park.
Kate in a classroom illustrating a picture on a whiteboard of a person swinging on a star, and various animals.
Kate wearing a red plaid shirt, black mask, and big sunhat. An orange and green lovebird is perched on her shoulder.

Fun facts: I’ve been a parent for 16 years; I’m also a proud cat servant. I’m from Chicago, but I live in the Sonoran desert, where I love birding, hiking, gardening and foraging. I’m a former dance major and karaoke freak - I love to get silly and infuse my work with music and movement.

I’m an award-winning writer and public speaker. I’m an education fanatic with 2 master’s degrees, and I’m always learning more via voracious reading, taking workshops, working with my mutual aid group, and taking part in grassroots education. Mental health is a top priority - I’ve spent most of my adult life in therapy, support groups, and engaging in other healing practices like energy work, neuroplasticity meditation, and transformative justice circles.

“When the true leader leads, the people say ‘We did it ourselves.’” - Laotzi

A few of my educational, social, and therapeutic inspirations: Myles Horton; Mariame Kaba; Paulo Freire; Stanley Greenspan; Jean Ayres; Civil Rights-era freedom schools and modern-day versions like Chicago Freedom School; Latine and Indigenous practices of holistic educación, servingness, and funds of knowledge; somatics and neuroplasticity practitioners; and grassroots groups everywhere who co-create knowledge and build skills through collective, decentralized, and practice-based learning.

“You have to bootleg education… it’s not proper, but you do it anyway.” - Myles Horton

A three year old child smiles at the camera with a wide open mouth.

Kate, age 3

And yes, I’m proudly neurodivergent and disabled. I’m also a recovering “masker” - I learned to hide my neurodivergence, even from myself. I am deep in a process of understanding how I’m wired - both exciting and dangerous at a time when eugenics are on the rise. I’m happy to chat more offline about my neurodivergence, disability, and dismantling ableism journey - and yours too, if you like.

Kate O’Rourke, she/they

Safe space for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and families

Some “official” creds

  • State certified educator

  • Masters in Special Education, Northeastern Illinois University

  • Masters in Creative Writing, Columbia College Chicago

  • Bachelors in Early Childhood Education, Northeastern Illinois University

  • 12 credit hours in Bilingual & ESL Education, University of Illinois Chicago

Other training and skills

  • Hablo español. I have working proficiency in Spanish, and taught in dual-language immersion classrooms for 3 years.

  • Literacy expert. I use structured linguistic literacy and authentic literature to create motivating, evidence-based reading and writing experiences. I’m currently working towards EBLI certification, and I have trained in Reading Simplified and Wilson Reading System.

  • DIR / Floortime and sensory integration strategies. I have years of training and experience in strengthening nervous system awareness, presence, connection, autonomy, agency, communication, and healthy attachment and repair between adults and children with developmental differences.

  • AAC (Assistive and Augmentative Communication). I’ve always had a passion for giving people tools to express themselves, from pictures and old-school devices like BIGMacks and Tech/Talks to digital communication apps.

  • Restorative and transformative justice. I have trained as a peace circle facilitator with CJYI (Community Justice for Youth Institute) and Amplify RJ.

  • Racial healing circles. I have trained with TRHT (Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation) Chicago, and I continue to co-design and participate in grassroots antiracist and anti-oppression circles.

  • Popular Education. From White Folks for Racial Justice training with Chicago Freedom School to Theater of the Oppressed training with Julian Boal to popular education training at Highlander Center in Tennessee and countless other grassroots settings, I prioritize bringing people together to educate one another, in community.

Testimonials

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    "Kate is amazing at connecting with students and communicating with them in many different ways. She is calming yet engaging. I’m thankful for such a kind soul connecting with my child.”

    Liz

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    “The class was amazing, I loved it and I learned a lot!”

    Griselda

  • "My son used to avoid writing like the plague, but Kate makes it fun and makes it more manageable. It makes me so happy to see him proud of his writing for the first time ever!"

    Amara

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    “Super helpful and thought-provoking workshop.”

    Terri

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    "Kate's facilitation of popular education was full of energy and deep love.”

    Paige

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    “Marc has changed so much since we started the developmental playgroup. He’s much more social. He talks about ‘school’ all the time, and can’t wait to come.”

    Jen

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    “This is exactly what I needed. You helped us to connect with each other, but you also asked us to search for answers inside ourselves. I was surprised by the answers that I found.”

    Nicole

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    Kate's fierce commitment and passionate service is beyond inspiring. I have watched her carry her broad, powerful vision into grounded implementation, weaving disparate groups together through workshops, meetings and practical action. Kate is the real deal."

    Louise, Women’s PowerVoice

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Howard Thurman