Penny

Penny Kittle is an inspiration to educators across the country. This woman has pioneered a new form of teaching that encourages collaboration, curiosity, and critical thinking through reading and writing, which she explains to her fellow teachers in her books Write Beside Them, and 180 Days. I have never felt as nerdy or excited as I did the moment I told my roommates that I was going to a conference to see my favorite textbook author speak.When I first met Kittle at the 2018 Colorado Language Arts Society Conference, I was immediately starstruck. Of course I was thrilled when she agreed to answer some questions of mine over email and I was even more thrilled when she made time to really think about my inquiries and respond during one of the busiest seasons of the year for every educator. I can never thank Kittle enough for the work she does to ensure her students a lifetime of learning and love for education. If I could be half the revolutionary and ally for every learner that she is, I will have lived an amazing life.

“What did your education look like growing up and how did that influence your decision to become an educator?”

“Both of my parents attended college, but couldn’t finish. They had kids, no money, etc. My mom was on a full-ride 4-year scholarship, but she went back to the farm to help her mom. So… they desperately wanted me to finish. I became a teacher because it was probably one of only a few professional jobs I knew of. And I liked kids, but I honestly didn’t think much about it. I had decided long before college that I wanted to be a teacher.”

“How do you think our education system handles the concept of teaching critical thinking? Is there a way we can foster this in the classroom while also keeping in mind meeting national and state standards?”

“I think educators are responsible for critical thinking. At every level. If we planned focused on what our students need instead of focused on curriculum maps or pacing guides or state and national standards, we’d be sure to make time for engaged reading, giving students responsibility for making decisions as writers, and increasing our focus on critical conversations every day of the year. No one thinks critically about texts they aren’t reading—working to understand. No one thinks critically when handed a template for writing and asked to fill in the parts. And when the teacher asks all of the questions, there is no time for students to ask their own. We already have the tools and the time, we just need the will.”