These great educators have gone above and beyond in their respective fields, inspiring entire generations to follow in their footsteps. The ten men on this list are all remarkable in their own right, however, they do have one thing in common – they all share the name Ken.
- John Kenneth Galbraith – A former teacher at Harvard University, Galbraith is perhaps better known for his books on economics, which were bestsellers from the ‘50s through to the 2000s. JKG had close connections to a number of other fairly well known men with triple barrel names, as he was an active member in the administrations of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
- Ken Carter – Sports teams, and especially their coaches, are not often praised for their dedication to academics. However, Ken Carter, now better known as Coach Carter from the 2005 movie based on his life, changed all that. Carter had a very strict academic upbringing, but still found time to fall in love with sports. Coach Carter is still doing what he loves despite the fame, and has found a home with the Slamball team Rumble in Los Angeles.
- Kenneth Clark – This man brought the distinct style of expert narration to TV documentaries with his work on the BBC series, Civilisation. The show was internationally popular from when it first aired in 1969, and allowed Clark to continue with his love of all things academic while also pursuing a career in broadcasting and directing.
- Sir Ken Robinson – Who wouldn’t want a teacher who is also a knight? Robinson has now been campaign leader for creativity in education, even having led the British government’s 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education. However, it was his TEDtalk in 2006 that catapulted Ken into the limelight, as it was greatly received around the world as one of the most inspirational talks on education heard, anywhere.
- Ken Wilber – In the world of philosophy, Ken Wilber’s name has been mentioned alongside Aristotle and Nietzsche. Wilber lists Bill Clinton and Deepak Chopra among his friends, and has had his books translated into more than 30 languages. When it comes to study and general knowledge, Ken Wilber’s “A Brief History of Everything,” is a must read for everybody.
- Ken Appel – An acclaimed mathematician, this Ken is credited with being the first person to use a computer to prove a major mathematical theorem. This skill would prove to be invaluable during the Cold War, when Appel used his genius to break Russian codes while simultaneously encoding U.S. messages to keep them secure. Ken was a tough teacher, but the love and respect he commanded from his students was still apparent in the messages of support his wife received when he passed away on April 19, 2013.
- Kenneth Chung – The education that Kenneth Chung offers is one that may just save your life, or at least make a mugger think twice about tackling you. Chung is a former student of the legendary Wing Chun master, Yip Man. He teaches at the Stanford University Wing Chun Club, as well as travels the world educating people on the benefits of the martial arts.
- Ken Saro-Wiwa – Although Saro-Wiwa’s life as a teacher is not what brought him to inspire thousands of people, it is the path that led him there. As a gifted child growing up in Bori, Rivers State, Ken seemed destined for great things. He first rose to prominence for his satirical novels, children’s tales and plays. However, it was when he was imprisoned in 1994 and subsequently hanged in 1995 that Ken’s legacy reached the world. His imprisonment was due to speaking out against the government’s oil policy with Royal Dutch/Shell.
- Kenneth Hartley Blanchard – Most leaders in business will agree, “The One Minute Manager” by Kenneth Hartley Blanchard is the most definitive guide to management ever written. The book teaches leaders how to manage staff within the confines of each minute, and has become the go-to resource of corporations all over the world.
- Ken Hames – This ex British Special Air Service’s officer is a world renowned motivational speaker – that is, when he isn’t pioneering and directing adventure TV shows. Hames spent his early life as part of a military family before completing his own 25 year service. In his own words he is, “passionate about giving people the opportunity to do extraordinary things.”