About Debbie Gathmann

I am Debbie Gathmann, M.Ed.,and have taught in preschools and elementary schools in the metro Atlanta area for over 31 years. I directed a non-profit private school in West Georgia for ten years and was the curriculum coordinator for the YWCA for three years. My degree is from Georgia State with a Masters in British Infant Schooling, which is very similar to the Reggio Emilia style of teaching. I have a daughter who is studying public policy at NYU and a son in his freshman year at Warren Wilson College. I am involved in a folk-singing group, a Scrabble-players group, a neighborhood gardening initiative, a bird-watching group, and the Clarkston Health and Wellness Initiative

My current hobbies are legend--I am interested in just about everything.  My family has spent years building and designing a telescope out in Rockdale county and we get all kinds of astronomy magazines.  We love tiny little frogs and have spent years collecting data on them for the Citizen Science program at Cornell.  I am an avid bird watcher, a gardener, and have spent much time learning about the watershed, even taking courses in watershed management.  I am learning to knit (not so well, yet) and learning three new holiday songs on the piano.  Naturally, I'm also learning how to do content for a website (never thought I'd say that . . .). I have come into the digital age, recently, in the purchase of a new laptop and a new digital camera.  I have actually learned how to add contacts to my cell phone, recently!  Also, last but not least, I bought myself an MP-3 music player, but still can't seem to get music on it. I am taking classes this quarter in social interaction at Emory, non-profit leadership at DeKalb Perimeter, and Global Warming at North Decatur Presbyerian. My vacation plans for this year are still in flux--I want to go to Canada and my daughter wants to go to the Carribean.  My son doesn't care, but he just doesn't want to eat weird food.