Meet the Teacher

My name is Kalah Thompson. This is my third year teaching 8th grade English at Strickland. My husband, John Thompson (a Strickland art teacher), and I used to own a gym and dojo in town called Denton MAC where I coached CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting for 12 years. I still compete as a masters athlete in both weightlifting and judo.

In 2008, I graduated from the University of North Texas having studied English literature and philosophy. After graduating, I took classes in nutrition and physiology at Texas Women's University in preparation for becoming a coach. 

In addition to teaching middle school literature, I also consult in the corporate world, offering medical doctors training in communication strategies (the humanities actually do matter in our STEM-dominant world!). 

As for family, I come from a long line of teachers. My mother, Karen Hood, is a retired elementary school principal and teacher with a doctorate in reading literacy. You'll catch her in my classroom from time to time pulling small groups (she rewards effort with the best homemade chocolate chip cookies you've ever eaten). My father is a recently-retired executive for Convoy of Hope, an organization that does disaster relief all over the world in an attempt to combat hunger and poverty. My brother taught high school literature for a while, but now he's a full time photographer.

Mr. Thompson and I have three dogs, all rescue mixes, who we take with us out on the town as much as possible. Their names are Lou, Vonnegut, and Nella. I spend much of my spare time playing sports, hiking with my pups, and reading -- and I hope, against all odds these days, to help my students love reading too.