We were lucky to catch up with Kathryn Starke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kathryn , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s one of the most important lessons you learned in school?

As a former inner-city elementary school teacher and now as a national literacy consultant, I spend most of my days in schools around the country. I always learn something new. Interestingly enough, I didn’t go into the field of education because of any of my teachers, but because of my mom and her sisters (who were all teachers). While I was fortunate to have a few exceptional teachers throughout my K12, college, and graduate school career, I actually figured out what type of educator I wanted to be based on the awful teachers I encountered from kindergarten through high school. I was a quiet, conscientious student who never got in trouble, but I carefully observed how our teachers interacted with every student. I was a smart child who did not perform well on tests. Based on my childhood experience in elementary school of seatwork and silence, I decided to implement the following lessons into my own classroom and business. 1. Create an environment that makes people comfortable to ask any question on their mind.
2. Use a variety of formats in teaching any lesson including reading, writing, music, art, math, outside exploration, and play so that everyone’s strength is recognized.
3. Plan creative, engaging lessons that increase motivation and understanding.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a former inner-city elementary school teacher who was always writing songs and stories for my students to increase comprehension of a subject matter. I wrote and published my first children’s book, Amy’s Travels, while I was teaching first grade because I wanted one picture book to teach all seven continents and it didn’t exist. I founded Creative Minds Publications to publish and market the book to fellow educators around the country. Amy’s Travels was selected as a recommended multicultural title by the California Department of Education its first year in publication. I became a visiting author and guest presenter at educational conferences while teaching full-time. Over the years, I became a reading specialist, district literacy coach, and now a national literacy consultant. I help schools achieve literacy success by helping teachers feel more confident and competent in the teaching of reading through my personalized side-by-side consulting and reading resources. Today, my company publishes engaging and educational children’s books and teacher resources written by fellow educators. There is a lot of work to do in reading education across the country, and I’m proud of the success we have had in helping schools improve their literacy instruction. In addition to our books and consulting for schools, we now have The Starke School, an online supplemental reading and math program to support K-3 families. We also just kicked off the 7th annual Tackle Reading event with the NFL and Dr. Seuss Enterprises to promote a love of literacy with a passion for football. Creative Minds Publications continues to evolve and expand our reach to increase our impact and teach the world to read.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience is probably one of my best strengths. When I didn’t make the best grades on math tests or was always selected as the alternate for chorus solos, I learned early on that you just keep going your best until your turn arrives. In 2023, there is a national teacher shortage but twenty years ago that was not the case. I was the eager twenty-two-year-old who couldn’t wait to become a classroom teacher and went on countless interviews hearing that I seemed “too nice” or “too creative” or “not strong enough in Algebra to teach first grade math.” My dream to teach in the school division I grew up in was out of sight, but I kept trying until I landed my choice of school and grade level in an inner-city school system that embraced my personality. I’ve received hundreds of rejection letters for my books and a thousand no’s for my ideas, but I have finally learned that rejection is simply redirection, and you only need one “yes.” I have stayed true to myself throughout my journey, which allowed me to be hired by the best schools and divisions for me and form huge partnerships with corporations including Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Random House, and the NFL (National Football League.) This is simply because I never give up, always reach out, and share my passion and purpose in education.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

From the moment I started my business in my mid-twenties, I quickly learned how many doubters there are in this world. Some publishers called my book and company “cute,” while some educators told me I was too young for people to take me seriously or to learn from. Needless to say, I had to work hard to show my results because me talking about it didn’t matter. The publishing industry started paying attention to me when my books received awards, increased sales, and attracted partnerships including the Latin Ballet of Virginia, PBS Kids, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and the NFL. School districts began hiring me as a literacy consultant when they saw the tangibles I could provide including, but not limited to an increase in teacher retention, student reading levels, and statewide testing scores. People can’t argue with positive results and testimonials, which have helped build my reputation as an author, publisher, nationally recognized literacy consultant, and female founder.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://creativemindspublications.com/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/kathrynstarke
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/creativemindspublications
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryncstarke/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/kathrynstarke

Image Credits
Photos provided by Kathryn Starke. Detroit Lions photo on 7th annual Tackle Reading event provided by the Detroit Lions.