MNPS Voices: Kyle Alexander

MNPS Voices: Kyle Alexander, District Lead Coach for Social Studies
Posted on 04/28/2022
Kyle Alexander in his office.

Kyle Alexander was always confident he would eventually become a teacher. Alexander is now a 23-year Metro Nashville Public Schools teaching veteran who has spent most of his career working with middle schoolers – and helping fellow social studies teachers do the same. Kyle Alexander in his office

“I think like most kids I had a BIG imagination and dreamed of being everything from an astronaut to psychiatrist to an advertising executive like Angela from the TV show ‘Who’s the Boss,’ but teaching was always what I seemed to come back to,” Alexander said.

Alexander, a native Nashvillian, recalls education being extremely important in his family, with both of his parents especially active in his and his brother’s educational careers. He recalls his parents being at school as much as he and his brother were. His dad was active in sports with his brother, and his mother was very involved in the school’s parent-teacher organization and has made several cameo appearances in yearbooks at Dan Mills Elementary and Isaac Litton Middle School, which Alexander attended.

Alexander graduated from Stratford High School in 1994 and enrolled at Vanderbilt University, where he says he accidentally double-majored in history and political science. He continued his education at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College, where he earned a master’s degree in education and obtained his teaching licensure in 1999.

His first teaching opportunity came when he began teaching seventh- and eighth-graders at Buena Vista Paideia Magnet Middle School, which eventually closed for renovations and was converted into an elementary school.

He taught middle school for 19 years at Buena Vista, Brick Church, Rose Park and Martin Luther King Jr., becoming a National Board Certified Teacher in social studies-history and early adolescence along the way. Four years ago he moved to the MNPS Support Hub, where he now serves as the district literacy coach for social studies.

In this role, Alexander co-teaches with teachers throughout MNPS or provides any necessary instructional support for K-12 social studies instruction across the district.

Transitioning from the classroom has been interesting for Alexander. Although he misses the daily interactions with students, he still feels great joy being able to see them in the school buildings when he visits to co-teach with teachers or provides instructional support to them.

“In the beginning, I missed teaching a lot,” he said. “I was accustomed to having a set schedule and a group of students that were mine for the entire school year. It’s the relationship with the students that I miss the most."

Although he misses teaching seventh grade in a traditional classroom setting, he believes the work he’s doing has the potential to impact students and teachers on a larger scale. His ultimate goal is to be a support system and advocate for social studies instruction throughout the district and beyond.

As MNPS heads into the summer months, Alexander suggests students visit Nashville Sites to keep their minds and bodies active and stimulated. The site offers walking historical tours across the city, and some even have lesson plans created by MNPS teachers.

When Alexander isn’t working, he enjoys hanging out with friends, going to live music events, dining out and playing with his cats.


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