We’re Angela and Joshua Choate, a husband-and-wife team with a shared passion for education and supporting teachers. With over 15 years of experience in elementary and secondary education, we bring diverse perspectives and strategies to help teachers across various classroom settings. Our blog, Education Coffee Break, is a place for educators to find practical ideas, teaching strategies, and resources that can be used in classrooms from early elementary to high school.
Our Teaching Background
Our journey in education has taken different paths, but our shared goal has always been the same: to make a positive impact on students and to support fellow teachers.
Angela
Angela has been teaching since 2011, starting her career as a K-1st grade teacher of exceptional students in a self-contained classroom outside Dover, Delaware. In that role, she gained valuable experience in behavior management, special education, IEPs, and strategies for meeting the needs of diverse learners. After two years in Delaware, Angela returned to her home state of Pennsylvania and spent eight years teaching 1st grade at Cumberland Valley School District, where she focused on early literacy, guided math, and STEM activities. Now, she serves as an Instructional Coach, providing professional development, support, and resources to educators, especially in the areas of structured literacy and effective math instruction.
Angela holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Elizabethtown College, a master’s in Early Childhood Literacy from Wilkes University, and is completing her second master’s in Instructional Media. She has presented at STEM conferences across the country, shared her ideas on guided math at professional development days, and is also a Seesaw Ambassador and Apple Classroom Teacher.
Joshua
Joshua transitioned into education after a career in the military and private sector. A former Air Traffic Controller in the U.S. Air Force, he shifted his focus to technology and web development, earning a degree in Computer Science from Messiah University. Joshua spent several years in the web development industry before becoming a high school Web Design & Development instructor at Dauphin County Technical School. His teaching combines real-world coding skills, critical thinking, and hands-on problem-solving, giving students practical skills for success in the tech industry.
Joshua’s education is grounded in technology and real-world applications. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Education from Penn State University to further expand his expertise in instructional strategies and curriculum development.
In addition to teaching, he owns a photography business called “Jato Create“. He actively integrates his professional experiences into his classroom, teaching students how to bridge the gap between technology and creativity.
Education Coffee Break
How the Idea Got Started
Our story began with Angela’s dream to start an education blog as a reflective space to write about her experiences, strategies, and research. In 2019, as Angela set up her classroom for a new year, Joshua, with his background in web development, surprised her by creating a blog for her to finally start sharing her ideas with other teachers. The original vision was a space for primary grade educators, but as we grew as a family and as educators, we saw an opportunity to expand the focus to include secondary education as well. With Joshua joining as a high school contributor, Education Coffee Break has evolved into a teaching blog that supports a broader range of classrooms and educators.
Why “Education Coffee Break”?
We wanted a name that captured the idea of sharing quick, impactful teaching strategies and insights—something that could be read and digested easily during a teacher’s coffee break. Angela’s love for coffee was a natural inspiration. Her students quickly learned that she never started her day without a cup of coffee in hand, and some could even identify the flavor by its smell. It became a running theme in her classroom, and eventually, in our blog. The name reflects our goal: to offer educators a place to visit for ideas, inspiration, and encouragement in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee (or tea, or water!).
What You’ll Find on Education Coffee Break
We believe that great teaching can happen at every grade level, and our mission is to create a space that bridges elementary and secondary education. Here, you’ll find resources on everything from early literacy and classroom organization to high school tech integration and project-based learning. Whether you’re a new teacher looking for guidance or an experienced educator searching for fresh ideas, our hope is that you’ll leave feeling inspired and equipped.
Connect With Us!
If there’s a strategy you’d like to share, a topic you’d like us to cover, or if you just want to say “Hi,” we would love to hear from you! Feel free to send us a message, and don’t forget to check out our individual portfolios to learn more about our backgrounds and experiences.
