Month: March 2025

Getting Real, Folks

/ Katie Winkler / Leave a comment

A few years ago, when I was still working at a small community college in western North Carolina, I was visiting my mother who lives in rural Alabama. Often times towards the end of my almost 40-year teaching career, I would be discouraged and, I’m sad to say, spent a great deal of time bellyaching about the work environment when I was talking with my mother. But this time, I was happily explaining how a new teaching idea (I can’t remember what it was) had positively affected my students. “Sometimes this teaching stuff works,” I said.

My mom and me about ten years ago–photo by Hannah Winkler

Then, after a moment of silence, my mother said, “I know you’re too busy right now, but when you retire, you really ought to write a book about teaching. You’re such a good teacher, Katie.” I teared up then just like I am right now because those words coming from my mother started healing the wounds from a dysfunctional workplace and dwindling societal respect for educators in general. Slowly, the first writing project of my retirement began to take shape in my mind. I would write a memoir of my life as a teacher, and it would be dedicated to my mother.

I actually began writing the book in the last year of teaching but didn’t get very far. The composing process has never come easily to me, and I struggled. However, once I retired and was freed from the stresses of teaching, especially the heavy grading load, the words just seemed to tumble out of me. I had forgotten why I went into teaching in the first place, but now, no longer fixating on the heavy course loads, bureaucratic frustrations, and student apathy, I began remembering the joy of being in the classroom, the challenges I overcame, and the educational adventures I experienced. I had a rough, rough draft in six months, half the time I had given myself to finish.

Happy me at the awards banquet!

Even though I only had a draft of the book, when I saw the opportunity to enter a contest for a full-length memoir that only required the first 2,500 words, I decided to enter since all of the top three awards would cover the fee to the conference that was sponsoring the contest. I thought I had a shot at 3rd place, but never imagined that I would win the memoir category that came with an additional prize of publication!

So, it is happening! The publisher has assigned my book an editor who happens to be just right for me, someone with community college teaching experience who was the first person to greet me at the conference with the words, “I love your work!”

Unlike composing, editing is a joy for me. I would tell my students this; they would just give me that you’re-such-a-nerd look, but I would protest. “No, no, no! You don’t understand. Revision and editing are at the heart of good writing. That’s when you get to manipulate the words, sentences, and paragraphs–add and subtract until you make the writing sing!”

I doubted that many believed me, so I started saving my students’ diagnostic paragraphs in a folder and handing them back on exam day when they wrote a final reflection paper comparing that first faltering writing to the final essay. Sometimes they would audibly express their surprise with a “It is better.” or even just “Wow!”

I cherished those days just as much as I cherish revising and editing my first book: Lessons: A Teaching Life–coming to a bookstore near you, or online, from Martin Sisters Publishing.

***

The cover of the Fall/Winter edition of Teach. Write. A statue of an angel with arm outstretched

Coming soon! The next edition of Teach. Write. I’m dedicating this edition to the indomitable spirit of those who have been impacted by the many natural disasters we’ve been experiencing around the world, especially those here in my region of Western North Carolina. Six months ago, Hurricane Helene tore through our area, causing massive damage and a loss of 106 lives. Now, due to the thousands of downed trees and dry weather, fires are blazing all over our region, including upstate South Carolina. And yet, the resilient spirit of our people stands.

The Spring/Summer 2025 edition of Teach. Write. will be up on my sister site on April 1. On that date, I will begin accepting submissions for the 2025 Fall/Winter edition, so take a look at my guidelines and send me your best work!

Validation: Two Books About Balancing Education and Training

/ Katie Winkler / Leave a comment

Ned Scott Laff and Scott Carlson’s Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn’t Matter and What Really Does challenges contemporary ideas about higher education. The book takes a critical look at today’s overemphasis on majors and predefined academic tracks, instead promoting a more flexible and personalized approach to navigating college. The authors advocate for experiential learning, skill-building, and real-world readiness, encouraging students to “hack” their education by tailoring it to their unique goals and aspirations. They also emphasize uncovering “hidden intellectualism” and leveraging untapped opportunities in the workforce, offering practical advice for students to maximize their college experience in ways that extend beyond rigid curricula.

Reading Hacking College felt like a real validation of the methods I used during my time as a community college educator. Many of the principles the authors outline—like the importance of experiential learning and practical, career-focused assignments—aligned perfectly with the approach I took in my classes. In one of my English composition courses, for example, I required students to interview a professional in their desired field. This assignment wasn’t just about teaching research and communication skills; it was about connecting their academic work to the real world in a meaningful and practical way.

The results were inspiring. Many students said it was the highlight of the course, as they gained invaluable insight into their chosen professions. One student even walked away from the interview with a job! Assignments like this not only enhanced their communication and research skills but also made the value of liberal arts education more tangible.

During my years teaching freshman composition and advising students in associate degree programs, I saw firsthand the importance of integrating the “bread” of practicality with the “roses” of intellectual and personal growth—a balance Terry O’Banion captures so beautifully in Bread and Roses. While a few students arrived with clear goals and preparedness, the majority were either unprepared or had unrealistic expectations. Toward the end of my career, I noticed an increasing number of students seeking only the quickest path to a high salary or transfer to an elite school. Many questioned the value of courses, like English composition, that didn’t appear directly tied to their career goals.

To address this, I instinctively began infusing my curriculum with practical, real-world assignments like the interview project. This approach didn’t just help students see the value in what they were learning—it also created moments of clarity, confidence, and even opportunity, like the student who landed a job from their interview.

Unfortunately, I’ve watched with concern as the “roses” of liberal arts education are increasingly overshadowed by a narrow focus on workforce pipelines. Reflecting on my experiences with students—and on books like Hacking College and Bread and Roses—reminds me why this balance is so essential. Education should prepare students not just for successful careers, but for meaningful and enriching lives. I’m more determined than ever to advocate for this perspective and keep the conversation going.