Twenty Questions with Kym Godwin
Principal , Arizona I asked twenty questions and wanted honest , unfiltered answers. These are her answers .
(1) What was the main reason behind getting into the educational field ?
I knew from a young age I wanted to teach. I played school while others played house. Despite some detours I went back to school when my son was 7 months old to earn my Associates degree and then my BA in Education a week after my daughter turned 2. I wanted to save the world and change the lives of kids. What I learned is that saving the world looks different than I originally thought. I found that the most difficult kids were the ones who I gravitated towards and that was my purpose as an educator.
(2) How long have you been in this current School System ?
I just joined the Peach Springs Unified School District this month. Prior to this I was in Bullhead City, Arizona for 2 years after spending 5 years in the United Arab Emirates.
(3) Where did you get your start in this field?
I started teaching in 1998 in Ilwaco, Washington as a junior high English, Social Studies, and theatre teacher.
(4) What is your most memorable moment since you have been at this job?
Students are getting ready to start school July 27. I knew coming to live and work on an Indian Reservation would come with challenges. The biggest challenge is getting the community to trust an outsider. The school had an undesirable reputation but the current superintendent has been building strong community relations during the last 2 years and a lot has improved. I was in the little market a couple of weeks ago and thecashier and a customer were talking about why they didn’t want their kids in the school. I could barely contain myself and introduced myself as the new principal The cashier and I started talking and she said she tried to call and get answers at the school but no ones could help her. I invited her to come see me. A few days later she did and I talked about what we were planning to do and how we can help her children. She has registered her kids in the school and is applying to work with us. I have a lot of trust to build but she can see I’m genuine and transparent and was willing to extend the initial trust in me to take care of her kids.
(5) What is the most exciting part of a new school year starting ?
I am ready to work with my staff and kids to help them grow and succeed. The kids here are severely
underperforming and I know that through perseverance and lots of collaboration we will help them grow in all aspects of their development including academic, social emotional, and behavior.
(6) What is the most difficult part of a new school year starting ?
The unknowns seem more difficult since the pandemic. There are always unknowns but they used to seem predictable. Since Covid nothing is predictable and too many “what ifs” remain and perpetuate uncertainty.
(7) What is the one thing the kids look forward to when school starts back ?
The kids look forward to normal. Even when they can’t articulate it, they thrive on routine and predictability. This provides them with balance and a feeling of safety and security. Even though they don’t realize they need this, they do as this helps to create their normal.
(8) How do you handle the shortages of teachers & staff needed for a successful school year ?
We have our teaching positions filled but still need a few paraprofessionals. The teacher shortage has had a major impact in the last 2 years. Teachers are being asked to do more and more as part of their daily routine while districts, states, and citizens trust them less and less. The shortage is going to continue until we shift our focus and trust professional educators to do what they were trained to do without being micromanaged and subject to ongoing criticism and disrespect.
(9) What is the one thing you would change / enhance if budget was no object ?
I would make Kindergarten through grade 2 focus on foundational literacy and math skills with class sizes of 10 with ample opportunities for play based learning. Grades 3-8 would involve extensive interdisciplinary project based learning with a focus on problem solving and concept and skill mastery. High school students would have internships and/or volunteer requirements as part of their education that would help them decide their future path. All staff would receive ongoing training in child and adolescent development and restorative practices would be utilized at all levels to help students be accountable for their choices and grow beyond their mistakes.
(10) How much did covid-19 change the way teachers & parents interact with each other?
There were positives and negative impacts of Covid. One positive was that we finally were forced to make a shift to virtual communication. During the last 2 years my teachers were able to have family/teacher conferences with all of their families. The virtual communication removed the barriers such as lack of transportation, no childcare, and work schedules. It also allowed teachers to have a glimpse into the home life of their students which made many of them more empathetic to the challenges and trauma of their students. On the flip side, there were a fair number of families that thought they knew more than the teacher and often made this clear to the teacher. While most families were grateful for the teachers’ efforts and support, some used this experience to insult and disrespect teachers.
(11) Are you a fan of the online, digital teaching that is being done today compared to actual books?
I’m definitely a techie teacher who appreciates and respects digital learning and have throughout my career. My master’s studies was in Instructional Technology and students must understand how to utilize available and emerging technology. However, it is merely another tool. I would not want to see digital platforms replace in person teaching with tangible resources. It should be used as an option to enhance learning.
(12) Do you find the curriculum has changed in terms of being harder or easier for kids today ?
I feel it is more restrictive and allows for less creativity and individuality for teachers. I don’t see that much of the resources used, especially in elementary, are helping to prepare our students for academic rigor. At the same time, many of the strategies teachers are supposed to teach are so confusing that they have difficulty grasping the concepts. If the teachers have difficulty, the parents and students are even more lost.
(13) What is the worst thing that happened when covid-19 hit and shut schools down immediately ?
Since no one knew what to expect or how long the pandemic would last, the uncertainty created a sense of panic by school districts. There was already disparaging differences between different districts and states and this widened the gaps. The result has been an even larger divide between the haves and the have-nots.
(14) Have the school system fully recovered from the effects of covid-19?
I don’t believe the school system will recover for at least a decade. Students lost valuable learning time whether they were virtual, hybrid, or in person. In essence, schools are 2 years behind in academic learning and social emotional development. Students have also adopted worse habits with regards to screen time and lack of motivation.
(15) Do you agree , one of the biggest things facing all schools today is incidents involving violence ?
While I agree that incidents involving violence in schools is huge, I don’t think it is the biggest issue. I feel the most significant issue is that students as well as adults have lost their filters regarding what they say and do. There seems to be little consequence regarding being blatantly disrespectful, mean, and harmful. People have become cold and unfeeling when interacting with people, especially in a virtual setting. Since kids aren’t able to regulate their emotions as adults do, these behaviors are going to become ingrained into their psyche and will continue to become their normal way of interacting.
(16) Does your school / district have active shooter procedures in place?
We are in the process of putting the systems in place and are collaborating with the local police department.
(17) Approximately nine states ( Idaho, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming) are ok with teachers carrying guns in class . Do you agree with this measure ?
No I do not. Having lived in a country for 5 years where guns are illegal for private citizens I believe that gun control laws must be created. I have always said that the 2 nd Amendment was intended to ensure that the US had citizens armed and ready to defend the nation in the absence of a well staffed military force. We have a well armed military and there is no practical reason for citizens to “need” guns.
(18) When you saw what happened in Uvalde TX , what was the first thing you could think of ?
I immediately thought of Columbine, which happened during my first year teaching. Almost 25 years had passed and the problem continues to get worse. Einstein was quoted saying, “ Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results .” We have been dealing with this problem the same way for over 2 decades and yet society thinks things will get better.
(19) Are there measures in place where the students / teachers can report what they consider disturbing behavior ?
We have a well staffed social emotional learning department as well as a strong administrative team. There is a system in place for necessary reports to be made.
(20) What is the one thing you would like to say to those who have read this article about the future of the U.S school system?
The US has unfortunately slipped from one of the most powerful education systems in the world to one
that is laughed at abroad. Our children are our future and they deserve the best. If we do not get politicians and academics that do not understand the needs of our kids out of the decision making chain, we will continue to be on the decline. I’ve often joked that these decision makers need to spend a semester teaching in any public school and then talk about what is needed. I have never had a single issue with standards and ensuring mastery, but it’s not about standards. It started with the theory that no child should be left behind, but we forgot that not everyone should attend university. We stopped letting kids know that learning a trade is just as valuable as earning a university degree. Even more important, as we have become an entitled society we are raising entitled kids and the respect for educators has reduced us, in the eyes of many, as over paid babysitters who can’t be trusted. Many families are quick to blame educators for the lack of progress of their child yet aren’t willing to put in the effort needed to help them learn and grow.
Before I took this position in a poor performing school with a long history of serious issues I was ready to leave education. I entered with a desire to save the world and have worked diligently for the last 25 years to help every child who crossed my path. I have helped change the lives of many but the system had sucked the life out of me. I’m in a district now that put the emotional development of the students ahead of academics because they understand that once we help the child feel safe, cared for, and develop naturally that the academic learning will come and they will excel. As educators we are helping students write the narrative that will eventually define who they are. We can add positive, encouraging messages to their story or we can treat them as if they are merely a number who must perform and fill them with negative messages when they can’t perform as the algorithm says they should. To me, the choice has always been a simple one. .
Next up : Sept 1st : Tommy Mendenhall