Faculty Profiles

Kenny Abkins

Kenny Abkins teaches Carpentry as a correspondence course for the Ashworth Career School. A professional carpenter with 28 years experience, he has taught the trade for ten years. Kenny was drawn to the field because he likes working with his hands and takes pride in being able to produce something that "I can point to and say I did that."

Kenny thoroughly enjoys passing along his years of knowledge and experience to students. "Teaching it is so exciting, especially when someone finally gets it," he says. "You can tell when the light comes on when they grasp a particular aspect, and you know they will never forget it from that point on."

He has found that online education is an effective way to reach students no matter where they live. "I enjoy distance learning because it doesn't restrict you to a physical location," he explains. "Someone in Oklahoma or Dubai or anywhere in the world can log on, take a course and learn all the aspects of whatever subject they're interested in."

Interacting with students is important to Kenny and he works to ensure that the student-teacher communication process is a two-way street. "I try to solicit feedback from students. If I'm not getting it I'll rephrase the question so that my student can think about it in a different way. If I don't get that interaction then I don't know if I'm being effective or not, so I really seek that."

Another way Kenny keeps the teaching process dynamic is by inviting students to ask questions. "I really enjoy when students ask questions," he says. "That way I know they are interested and trying to get their mind around the subject. I can also learn from their questions whether they are actually getting it or not."

Kenny is enthusiastic about the field of carpentry and believes strongly that the skills he's teaching will benefit his students long after they've completed his course. "Whether you go into this field as a career or whether you're just a hobbyist or homeowner who wants to build your own deck, remodel your basement or repair your siding, it's a wonderful trade to learn. These skills will stay with you for the rest of your life."