Georgetown College Graduate Named Semi-Finalist for KY Teacher of the Year
Submitted on May 15, 2019
Erin Ball is a true English teacher. When talking about her educational philosophy, she even quotes Yeats. “He once said, ‘Education is not filling a pail, but lighting a fire.’ This idea reflects my philosophy of education.”
Ball teaches eighth grade language arts at Georgetown Middle School and has recently been named a semi-finalist for the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year award, presented by the Kentucky Department of Education and Valvoline. She is a gifted writing teacher, who, more than anything, invests in the growth of her students.
Ball received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Georgetown College in 2014 and her Master of Arts Degree in Education from the college in 2018.
She carries with her the same emphasis on servant-leadership that exists at Georgetown. “A unit that defines me as a teacher is a project-based learning unit I teach in the fall on the topic of refugees. In this unit, students are asked to answer the essential question, ‘How can we make Scott County a more inclusive community for refugees?’” she said.
Ball credits several Georgetown professors with helping prepare her to be an excellent educator. “I was blessed with many professors at Georgetown College who shared with me many valuable resources and practical, relevant teaching strategies that have benefitted me greatly in my teaching career.”
She also shows a striking awareness of the issues permeating education today and strives to improve the circumstances of her students.
“A personal goal of mine is to see my African American students make comparable growth to the rest of my students. I hope to shrink the achievement gap through intentional focus on our curriculum and on these students.”
This passion has led to Ball being recognized as one of the best teachers in the state. When discussing the recognition, though, she’s quick to mention others. “I have been blessed with many excellent teachers throughout my life and in my career.”
Winners of the Elementary, Middle, and High School Teacher of the Year Awards, along with the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, will be announced on May 20th.
