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January 24, 2024 9 mins

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Embark on an emotional rollercoaster with me, Ken Newton, as I peel back the curtains to reveal the raw and vibrant tapestry of my 28-year tenure in the education field. This episode of Teacher Talk isn't just another narrative; it's a mosaic of heartfelt stories, from the pride of family legacy to the exhilaration of instilling creativity in young minds. As I navigate the landscape of my career, the retirement headlights in the distance, and my young daughter's first steps into education, you're invited to witness the intimate crossroads of my personal and professional worlds.

With a nod to musical greats like Pink Floyd and the Backstreet Boys setting our backdrop, the session spotlights the dynamic journey of education, including the evolution I've observed firsthand and the wisdom I've gathered along the way. A special mention goes to a former student turned exceptional colleague, a living testament to the cycle of inspiration that teaching ignites. And to cap it off, Rita Pearson's powerful TED Talk serves as a poignant reminder that every child indeed needs a champion. So join me—whether you're an educator, a parent, or simply a lifelong learner—for this heartfelt exploration of the life lessons that transcend the classroom walls.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Hey, good afternoon Mr Ken Newton here, good morning
.
I'm Ken Newton.
I'm a good one Me myself and I.
I have a brand new, revampedpodcast.
I used to do a podcast allabout educational technology,
but I thought, hey, that was agood idea.
However, I have so many storiesto tell, so much to tell.

(00:45):
I thought I would revamp mypodcast into Teacher Talk with
Ken Newton.
So I look forward to yougetting to know me and listening
to my stories.
Good, bad happy sad and reallysome unbelievable stories.
I think the rest of the worldneeds to hear what happens in
the classroom, what happensoutside the classroom.

(01:06):
I think teachers are unsungheroes of society.
Again, I have so many storiesI've been blessed with of having
a career of 28 years so far.
I've been very fortunate tohave taught thousands of kids,
very blessed to have been namedTeacher of the Year twice.
I've been Apple certified,google certified.
I've been very, very blessed tohave had a great career so far

(01:30):
and I see the retirementheadlights and I see the
retirement within reach.
And I'm blessed to have mybeautiful four and a half year
old daughter who's in TK andkind of see as she begins her
school journey as I'm endingmine.
So I'm super excited to startoff my podcast.

(01:51):
I'm entitled Me Myself and I.
I've told you a little bitabout me.
I look forward for you to allgetting to know me as a teacher.
As a person, I absolutely lovewhat I do.
My parents have since passedaway and my father was in
education.
My mother was in education, mygrandparents were in education

(02:11):
and I like to think I'mcontinuing my father's and my
family's legacy in education.
I really believe in a couple ofphrases.
For example, ralph WalderEmerson said nothing great was
ever achieved without enthusiasm.
And let me tell you I reallytry hard to bring enthusiasm and
fun and allowing kids to becreative in the class on a daily

(02:34):
basis.
And I like to think my parentswould be proud of me, not only
in the classroom but as a father.
So I appreciate my familysupport.
I appreciate my wife support,my daughter support, my family
support being a teacher and Ilook forward for you to getting
to know me and after the nextbreak we'll talk a little bit
more about my career and ineducation.

(02:56):
Alright, pink Floyd, and at thebeginning of the last segment I
started off with Van Halen, wholoves that song, hot for

(03:19):
Teacher and another brick in thewall trying to find some cool
school songs.
As we're talking about school,talking about education and a
little bit of teacher talk fromMr Ken Newton.
Again, I am super excited tostart off this revamped, brand
new podcast with you and tellyou a little bit more about me.
I've been super blessed to havea 28 year career.

(03:41):
I started off teaching firstgrade love first grade back in
the day, and I'm going to tellyou some stories on how
education truly has changed.
Friends, boy, I look back at mycareer and I think about how
much it's changed.
Like I mentioned, and good andbad.
I'm politics, kids, parents butagain, I think teaching is the

(04:05):
best profession in the world.
You get a chance to really makea true impact on the education
in the life of children and I'vetaught long enough where now
I'm teaching with my oldstudents and I'll tell you a
story about that down the road,and she's an awesome teacher, by
the way.
So, again, super excited andI'm looking forward to future

(04:27):
episodes.
And I'm going to end with oneof my favorite TED Talks by an
amazing teacher, and you cancatch it right after the end of
this break.

(04:49):
Alright, hey, friends,backstreet boys, mr Newton and
our last segment, friends, Iwant to share with you one of my
favorite TED Talks, done by anamazing teacher by the name of
Rita Pearson, and it talks aboutevery child.
Every kid needs somebody intheir corner, every kid needs a
champion.
So, without further ado, I'mgoing to share the TED Talk with

(05:11):
you.
Enjoy, and we'll catch you backwith episode number two.
So, again, so excited, so soexcited to start this revamp,
brand new podcast.
Enjoy the TED Talk.

(05:38):
Alright, hey, mr Newton, here.
Backstreet boys and our finalsegment.
I want to share with you myfavorite TED Talk done by an
amazing teacher, rita Pearson.
Rita Pearson has always talkedabout how Every child needs a
champion and someone in theircorner, and I wanted to share
one of my favorite TED Talkswith you.
So enjoy, and we'll catch youin episode number two.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
I have spent my entire life either at the
schoolhouse, on the way to theschoolhouse or talking about
what happens in the schoolhouse.
Both my parents were educators,my maternal grandparents were
educators, and for the past 40years I've done the same thing,

(06:28):
and so, needless to say, overthose years I've had a chance to
look at education reform from alot of perspectives.
Some of those reforms have beengood, some of them have been
not so good, and we know whykids drop out.
We know why kids don't learn.
It's either poverty, lowattendance, negative peer
influences.

(06:49):
We know why, but one of thethings that we never discuss, or
we rarely discuss, is the valueand importance of human
connection, relationships.
James Comer says that nosignificant learning can occur
without a significantrelationship.
George Washington Carver saysall learning is understanding

(07:13):
relationships.
Everyone in this room has beenaffected by a teacher or an
adult.
For years.
I have watched people teach.
I have looked at the best andI've looked at some of the worst
.
A colleague said to me one timethey don't pay me to like the
kids.
They pay me to teach a lesson.

(07:35):
The kids should learn it, Ishould teach it, they should
learn it, case closed.
Well, I said to her.
You know kids don't learn frompeople they don't like.
She said that's just a bunch ofhooey.

(07:55):
And I said to her well, youryear is going to be long and
arduous, dear.
Needless to say, it was.
Some people think that you caneither have it in you to build a
relationship or you don't.
I think Stephen Covey had theright idea.
He said you ought to just throwin a few simple things like
seeking first to understand asopposed to being understood.

(08:18):
Simple things like apologizing.
You ever thought about that?
Tell the kids you're sorry.
They're in shock.
I taught a lesson once on raceshows.
I'm not real good with math,but I was working on it and I
got back and looked at thatteacher edition.
I taught the whole lesson wrong.
So I came back to class thenext day and I said look guys, I

(08:43):
need to apologize.
I taught the whole lesson wrong.
I'm so sorry.
I said that's OK, ms Pearson,you were so excited.
We just let you go.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
And that's what makes Rita Pearson just an absolutely
amazing teacher.
She's no longer with us, butshe lives on in spirit and
millions of teachers' hearts andminds.
So enjoy, friends.
We'll catch you later inepisode number two.
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