Katye Rutledge
McKinney High School, McKinney

Number of years teaching
I’m wrapping up my second year of teaching.

Name(s) of media you advise
The Lost Art literary magazine

Most unusual item in/on your desk?
3D printed figurine of baby Groot

Favorite deadline snack?
Tamarind pulp and watermelon flavored candy

Nicknames your students have given you?
Queen, journalism mom and Korea (because my initials are K.R.)

Superpower you’d want as a teacher?
Master the art of revisions and editing

Personal catchphrase or motto?
Make your voice heard

What is the reason you love teaching journalism?
I love watching students start day one of journalism with bias and over the course of the year watch their perception of journalism change once they start learning techniques on how journalism is properly reported and how to identify fake news.

What is the most important element to a successful program?
For our lit mag program to be successful, I believe the process needs to be hands on and let the students lead the way to produce their publication. I have stepped back more this year, and because of them I have watched our after school club grow from 19 students last year to over 40 students at the start of this school year.

Describe your favorite lesson to teach.
I love teaching a unit on laws, especially FERPA. I call my former co-workers from the Testing Center at the college I used to work for and put them on speaker phone. Without them knowing its me, I try to get them to give me personal information over the phone that would violate FERPA about the students inside testing or to release test scores over the phone. My former co-worker gets frustrated and I keep pushing for information until they try to transfer me to the campus police or they hang up on me. I call them back to tell them it was me and the students get a kick out of their reaction and because I pranked someone and made them mad.