For most English classes, the curriculum requires books and unit tests. However, in Kaylee Sutton’s English 1 and 2 classrooms, those required texts are merely the foundation for a more fundamental learning.
“I try to think of what is something that’s beneficial for you all in the long run,” Sutton explains, describing a teaching philosophy that prioritizes students futures. By molding mandated materials into engaging projects she ensures that the ‘boring stuff’ serves a greater purpose, helping students build skills they can use in the real world.
Sutton describes that English was something she did her whole life, from writing horrific stories as a kid and consuming any form of media, to even writing her own songs. “I was just really heavy into all media, all forms of literature, all forms of text,” Sutton explains. She follows up that she has “always liked the concept of being able to have a conversation, to find common ground, to have understanding of people through that kind of stuff.”
When it came to teaching, it was just something she sort of “fell into.” Coming from a family where almost everyone is in the medical field, she thought that was what she should do as well, though she couldn’t stand the lecture based learning in the start and heavily enjoyed her english and creative writing classes.
Although the big switch from medical to education came from her time at University of Louisville tutoring.
“I enjoyed talking to other people and helping them do those things, and so then that’s when I changed my major,” said Sutton.
Sutton has enjoyed her first year here, explaining that although this school being a lot larger, population wise, from her past school made her worried about building community, she has still managed to do so.
“I think my kids here are creative. We’re able to carry on creative and complex conversations. I like that aspect of it. I know my kids and my kids know me and I see them all the time in the hallway,” Sutton says.
When asked what she hopes to achieve at HC, she said “My only goal is to help as many kids as I possibly can learn, know who they are, know their place in the world, know what they want to do, [and] that kind of thing.”
