Music educator Keith Ballard of San Diego, California, has been inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF). Photo Credit: National Education Association
I am always excited when the National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF) announces the names of exceptional educators who have been inducted into their hallowed halls. This year, the organization has selected Keith Ballard, a music educator from San Diego, California, as one of the five teachers nationwide who has been so honored.
Keith teaches at Southwest Middle School. He has taught at the school for 26 years. When he first began his tenure there, the school was considered a disadvantaged school, located only four miles from the US border. Keith once said the average student has about a third-grade reading level. He also instructs music courses at Launch Virtual Academy, an online music school for grades 7-12.
To advance his professional skills, Keith has traveled around the globe to learn best practices to support his students. After a 1999 visit to Tijuana, Mexico, he organized a mariachi band to support the school’s large Latino population. In fact, his classroom is affectionately referred to as “Mariachi Disneyland.” He has also visited schools in North Korea, and he has formed an African drum ensemble.
This extraordinary Chalkboard Champion has earned him over 25 teaching awards, including the prestigious Milken National Educator Award. Furthermore, Additionally, his classroom programs have been featured in the media over 80 times, including in national broadcasts such as the NBC Today Show, CBS This Morning, and PBS National Television.
Keith earned his Bachelor’s degree at Arizona State University. He earned his Master’s degree at San Diego State University.
The NTHF honors teachers through an annual recognition program, inducting five outstanding educators nationally every year. The organization, located on the campus of Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, was founded in 1989. The recognition program annually honors five of the nation’s most outstanding PreK-12 educators who have at least 20 years of teaching experience. To visit their website, click on NTHF.
