Kellie Knight, a dedicated staff member, has been involved with the education profession for 25 years, eight of which have been here at West where she teaches Sociology, Psychology one and two, AP Psychology and US Government. Knight also taught an additional 15 years outside of West, and was a principal at for two years. Her favorite class to teach is AP Psychology. “I love physiology, it’s my favorite thing because I love learning how people think, act, and behave” says Knight.
Mrs.Knight is known for her conscientious and enthusiastic personality as well as her creative ways of teaching. She loves to be up and moving around the classroom and getting her students engaged in the lessons. She is able to make learning fun with how unpredictable she is. She jumps into character when reading a story, teaches lessons with enthusiasm, takes advantage of teachable moments and provides dynamic, hands-on activities that students will remember. She tells stories to make real-life connections, incorporates student interests into the lessons and is not afraid to do crazy things that motivate her students to learn.
Hogan Kalter, one of her many students, describes how her teaching has helped him learn. “Ms.Knight has a very high-energy teaching style, she wants to make sure everyone is involved. She wants to make sure everyone understands what is being taught. Her loud high-energy teaching style helps you understand things better and remember more when she says keywords loud and clear. Her teaching style may not be for everyone but it sure has helped me.”
Knight is an inspiration, leader, and admiration to her students. She regularly checks in on students’ mental health and finds ways to better her students in and out of the classroom. Knight has the ability to be able to pull the best out of every student she teaches. She tries every day to inspire her students to become better students, maximize their time in the classroom and to look toward the future. To help her students in the long run, she takes her students’ interests and helps turn them into a passions, making educational connections that will potentially last a lifetime. She understands that each student is different and that they should embrace those differences. She teaches their students that it is those differences that often make them exceptional. “I think my students know I really care and I want to see them be the best version of themselves, I will ask them how they are doing if I see someone not doing well, sometimes all kids need is for someone to listen so I will” says Knight.
Knight keeps caring for her students and appreciating them even after they graduate. She has one wall dedicated to her past student’s graduation open-house invitations. She also has lunches with past students to see how they are doing and how they have grown from high school.
Knight’s teaching is always changing and is never the same. She compares and contrasts what she taught this year compared to years before and analyzes what works for students and what does not. She is not the same teacher from year to year. She learns from her mistakes and looks to improve upon what has been successful and find something new to replace what has not worked. She is not afraid to learn new strategies, technologies or implement new criteria.
Knight shares “One of the strategies that works best for me is having high expectations but following through by going and watching the kids, sitting down next to them, and breaking it down for them. I’ll have students that don’t do the work so I sit down right next to them until they get it done. Another thing is that if a student struggles with writing and reading to answer the questions I will allow them to come up and we can do it verbally as long as they come and talk to me I’ll meet them where they’re at”
Knight is more than a teacher for most students. She goes above and beyond her duties as a teacher. She volunteers her own time to tutor struggling students after school or on weekends. She helps out in other areas around the school when it is needed. She is the first to help a family of a student in need in any way she can. She advocates for the students when necessary. She looks out for each students’ best interest. She does what it takes to ensure that each student is safe, healthy, clothed and fed.
Knight is more than just a teacher, she is someone who you can go to for anything and is always open to providing moral support.
