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CatholicMom.com
Recommends
Books by
Paul S. and
Joan E. Plum
Teach Me about a Church Inside & Out: Discussions and Activities
for Children
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 Catholic
Mom Book Spotlight Thirty Years of Creating
Quality Catechetical Resources
Joan and Paul Plum, I Am Special and IAS Marketing
Related Resources:
An
Interview with Paul and Joan Plum
The History of Plums' Work in Creating and Publishing Catechetical Resources
Teach Me about a Church Inside & Out: Discussions and Activities for
Children
About the Authors, Paul and Joan Plum
Joan was born in November of 1943 in Parkton, Maryland, a rural farming
community about 25 miles north of Baltimore. Joan’s two sisters and two
cousins made up the family of five girls raised by Ella and Elmer Ensor.
Growing up in the neighboring community of Sparks, Joan attended public
elementary school and Hereford high school. During her youth, Joan was
actively involved in 4-H programs and teaching Sunday school and summer
bible school programs in her Methodist church.
Wanting to be a teacher from early on, Joan attended Towson State Teacher’s
College (now Towson University) and graduated in 1965 with a B.S. degree in
Kindergarten and Primary Ed.
Following graduation, Joan taught First Grade in Reisterstown, Maryland for
one year. The following summer, Joan married Paul S. Plum, a soldier
attending the US Army Military Intelligence School in
Baltimore. Shortly after their wedding, they moved to Kaiserslautern,
Germany for his 2 1/2 year tour of duty.
While in Germany, Joan taught kindergarten at the American Elementary
School, earned graduate credits from the University of Maryland – European
Division, and spent vacations and holidays traveling with her husband
throughout Europe. It was during this time, too, that Joan received
instructions and became a Roman Catholic.
In December 1968, after returning from Europe to Waukesha, Wisconsin, their
first child, Carol, was born. The following year, Joan taught Kindergarten
for a year and a half at Hadfield Elementary School in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
After moving to Milwaukee in 1971, their second child, Michael, was born. A
year and a half later in 1972, Cathy, their third child was born.
Joan began her current teaching career at St. Margaret Mary School in 1974
as their first Kindergarten teacher. It was during this school year that
Joan began writing her own kindergarten religious education
curriculum. She piloted this program the following year in her classroom and
on Sunday mornings at Our Lady of Good Hope Parish. Then in January 1976,
Joan and her husband published the first I Am
Special Program and began selling it by mail order from their home.
In 1978 Joan returned to graduate school on a part-time basis and received a
Masters Degree in Education from Cardinal Stritch in 1983. It was also
during this time that Joan and Paul contracted with Our Sunday Visitor
Publishing to write their 1st Edition of an expanded I Am Special religious
education series for three–, four–, and five–year–old children from an
ecumenical viewpoint. Joan’s degree along with her ongoing classroom
teaching experience provided her with the credentials to continue her
writings and start lecturing at religious education conventions throughout
the US and Canada. For a three-year period from 1985 to 1988, Joan also
served as a part-time instructor in the Education department at Mount Mary
College.
In June 2005, after 31 years of teaching at St. Margaret Mary School and
with 36 years of teaching experience, Joan retired from the classroom.
Paul, too, was born in November of 1943. He grew up in Milwaukee, WI. and
was the middle child with two older sisters and one younger brother and
sister. Paul attended Catholic grade and junior high
school. He enrolled in St. Francis Minor Seminary and graduated from their
high school in 1961. Paul continued his studies at St. Francis Major
Seminary and graduated four years later with B.A. in
Philosophy and English. Shortly after graduation Paul left the seminary and
enlisted in the US Army. After training and schooling, Paul served as a
Military Intelligence Agent in Germany. It was during his
intelligence schooling in Baltimore, Md that he met Joan and they were
married in June 1966.
After returning from Germany in 1968 Paul began his business career that
included a wide range of management responsibilities and experiences to
include Food Brokerage Office Manager, Day Care Center Administrator,
Graphic Production Manager, and Manager of Training & Development.
In 1985, Paul resigned his position as Manager of Marketing Services at
Deutz-Allis Credit Corporation in West Allis, WI in order to devote full
time to coordinating the writing and development of the 2nd Edition of the I
AM SPECIAL program; and to develop additional clients in the Marketing
Services side of the business. Since 1985 Paul has spent his full time
running the IAS Marketing business.
In June of 2006 Joan and Paul will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
They are the proud parents of three young adults who include a college
instructor, college professor, and a lawyer. They are also proud of their
six grandchildren and enjoy spending time with them.
Related Resources:
An
Interview with Paul and Joan Plum
About the
Authors - Paul and Joan Plum
The History of Plums' Work in Creating and Publishing Catechetical Resources
Teach Me about a Church Inside & Out: Discussions and Activities for
Children
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