Hello there! I'm Chris Kirkhope, a 39-year-old educator, entrepreneur, and family man living in beautiful Mount Vernon, Ohio. Let me give you a glimpse into my multifaceted life.

Family Comes First

First and foremost, I'm proud to be married to the incredible Kori Kirkhope, a dedicated Nurse Practitioner who plays a vital role in our local healthcare community. Together, we're navigating the wonderful journey of parenthood with our energetic three-year-old son, Jaxon. Our family is the cornerstone of my life, and every adventure we embark on is a cherished memory in the making.

A Journey of Education

My educational path has taken me to diverse places and fields of study. I started my academic journey at the University of Hawaii, immersing myself in a world of culture and learning. Later, I continued my studies at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Business with concentrations in Marketing, Communications, and Finance. My thirst for knowledge didn't stop there; I pursued a Master's in Special Education to equip myself with the tools to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students.

Teacher by Day, Entrepreneur by Night

Since 2016, I've had the privilege of teaching in Knox County, Ohio. My teaching style is rooted in real-world experiences, featuring guest presentations from community leaders and a focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and professional communication. Education is not just my profession; it's my passion.

In parallel to my teaching career, I've been nurturing my entrepreneurial spirit. I founded my own marketing company in 2016, where I offer a wide range of services. From creating websites and designing eye-catching graphics to curating engaging social media content, managing SEO accounts, producing promotional products, and providing custom and corporate apparel, I thrive on bringing creative ideas to life.

Balancing Work and Play

Outside of work and business endeavors, you'll often find my family and me embarking on exciting adventures. We're avid travelers, especially drawn to the soothing shores of beach destinations. Golf is another shared family passion that we enjoy whenever we can. And for those moments when we seek solitude and connection with nature, our remote cabin in Canada provides the perfect escape.

Join Me on This Journey

I invite you to explore my world of education, creativity, and family through this website. Whether you're a fellow educator looking for inspiration, a business owner seeking marketing solutions, or simply someone interested in our adventures, I'm thrilled to have you here. Feel free to connect with me, share your thoughts, or embark on this journey together.

Thank you for visiting, and let's make learning and creating a way of life!

Sincerely, Chris Kirkhope

Mr. Kirkhope’s Classroom Structure

Welcome to my business classroom! My approach to teaching is unique compared to a traditional high school setting. I prioritize real-world learning experiences through hands-on activities, guest speakers, and interactive projects. My goal is to provide students with practical skills they can apply beyond the classroom. All of my courses have a strong focus on critical thinking, learning, and practicing discipline to prepare students for future success.

Classroom Expectations

Engaging Lectures & Real-World Learning

In my class, lectures go beyond textbooks. I incorporate real-world examples and frequently invite local business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to share their expertise. While I lecture, I provide bullet points and key terms for students to take notes in the format of their choice.

At the end of each week, students will use Artificial Intelligence (AI ChatGPT) to create study guides and guided notes, helping them better understand and retain key concepts.

Self-Discipline & Time Management

I encourage students to take ownership of their learning. Each class period includes time to work on assignments, and I do not micromanage students. If they do not use class time effectively, they are responsible for completing their work outside of class.

I am available for extra help:

• Before school, during the school day, study halls, and after school until 3:15 PM.

• If additional help is needed outside of school hours, students must schedule a time for assistance before the end of the school day.

Late, Missing, & Redo Work Policies

Absences: Students have the same number of days they were absent to make up work without penalty (must be an excused absence with documentation).

Redo Work: Students may redo assignments (excluding finals/exams) up to two times after the original submission for up to 50% of the points they originally missed.

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom

AI is rapidly shaping every industry, and it is essential that students learn how to use it effectively and ethically. In my class, students will learn how to use AI as a:
 - Learning tool
 - Research assistant
 - Creative designer
 - Problem-solving aid

Students will also gain prompt engineering skills to generate accurate information, cite sources, and enhance their learning. With AI expected to impact up to 50% of U.S. jobs in the next decade, developing these skills now will provide students with a competitive edge in the workforce.

Class Assignments & Grading

Classroom Prompts

• Daily prompts designed to engage students in the topic of the day.

• Worth 10 points and take no more than 5 minutes to complete.

• Due by the end of class—late submissions are not accepted.

Classroom Work

• Structured assignments that follow a lecture, real-world examples, and step-by-step instructions.

• Students receive dedicated class time to complete their work with my support.

• Due by the end of the class period.

Projects & Tests

• Given after students complete foundational classwork.

• Project-based assessments are designed to apply learned concepts.

• Students are provided ample class time to work and receive guidance.

Exams & Finals

• Project-based assessments covering all course material.

• Designed to reflect real-world business challenges rather than traditional memorization-based tests.

Predict the Score Bonus Opportunity

Each week, students have the chance to predict the scores of two Mount Vernon, college, or professional sporting events.

• Accurately predicting the score earns a 100% on a past assignment!

• Submission must be made before 2:35 PM on game day to prevent changes after the event.

• Each submission is worth 10 points, totaling up to 90 bonus points per quarter.

Study Guides

Students will create AI-generated study guides based on their notes from lectures and assignments. These guides will include:

• Key concepts

• Guided notes

• Practice quizzes and tests with answers & citations

Study guides are worth 75 points and help students develop study habits while learning AI tools.

Homework Policy

I do not assign traditional homework!

• Students have ample time in class to complete their work.

• If a student does not use class time wisely, they will need to finish the work on their own time—this is their responsibility, not assigned homework.

• Students may ask for help until 3:15 PM daily via email or in person.

I believe in work-life balance and encourage students to manage their time effectively.

Final Thoughts

My classroom is designed to prepare students for real-world success. Through hands-on experiences, AI integration, and personal accountability, students will develop critical thinking, business acumen, and problem-solving skills that will benefit them beyond high school.

Research-Backed Insights on AI, Education, and Self-Discipline

AI’s Impact on the Job Market

A global report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) provides data on how AI and automation will affect jobs in the near future. Key findings include:

• Significant Job Churn: Over the next five years, about 83 million jobs worldwide are projected to be displaced by automation/AI, but roughly 69 million new jobs will be created, according to WEF estimates. This is a net change of about –14 million jobs (approximately –2% of current employment)

  weforum.org
  In other words, while many roles will be lost or transformed, almost as many new roles will emerge.
  
  

• New Opportunities in Emerging Sectors: AI and related technological trends are expected to spur job growth in certain sectors. For example, investment in AI and the “green” transition will create demand for new roles – renewable energy engineers and other sustainability specialists – adding on the order of 1 million jobs in those areas.

  weforum.org
  Additionally, some industries are poised for net job gains despite automation. WEF forecasts that education (approximately +3 million jobs) and agriculture (+4 million jobs) will see some of the largest employment increases, partly due to demographic needs and the adoption of new technologies in those fields.
  weforum.org
  These figures highlight that AI can create new kinds of jobs even as it replaces others.
  
  

• Mixed Outlook Among Employers: There is broad agreement that AI will transform work, but not all companies expect pure job losses. In fact, over half of employers surveyed anticipate net job growth in their organizations due to AI adoption, even as about a quarter expect job reductions in certain roles.

  weforum.org
  This reflects a trend where AI is used to augment human labor and generate new business opportunities (creating new roles like data analysts, AI specialists, etc.), at the same time as it automates some tasks. The overall impact on the job market will likely be a continual “churn” of roles, with AI-related job creation offsetting a portion of the job displacement caused by automation.
  
  

Benefits of AI in Education

Studies by academic institutions have explored how AI can enhance learning and student engagement. Notably, a recent Stanford University study examined the impact of an AI tutoring system on college students’ learning outcomes:

• Improved Learning Efficiency: In a controlled experiment, students who learned via an AI-powered tutor (built with best-practice teaching methods) learned more than twice as much in less time compared to students in a traditional instructor-led active learning class.

  scale.stanford.edu
  In other words, the AI tutor helped students grasp course content roughly two times faster than the conventional classroom setting. This suggests AI tools can dramatically boost the efficiency of studying and mastery of material.
  
  

• Higher Engagement and Motivation: Students using the AI tutor also reported feeling more engaged and motivated in the learning process.

  scale.stanford.edu
  The Stanford researchers observed that the AI-driven approach kept students interested and involved, likely because it could adapt to their pace and give instant feedback. These findings provide empirical evidence that AI-based educational technology (such as intelligent tutoring systems or personalized learning platforms) can enhance learning outcomes and student engagement. By tailoring instruction to individual needs and providing quick, customized feedback, AI tools help sustain students’ interest and improve their study habits and performance.
  
  

Self-Discipline in Students and Academic Success

Extensive research in educational psychology has shown that a student’s self-discipline and self-control play a crucial role in academic performance and can even outweigh traditional measures of intelligence in predicting success. Key insights from studies include:

• Stronger Predictor than IQ: In a landmark longitudinal study at the University of Pennsylvania, researchers Angela Duckworth and Martin Seligman tracked self-discipline in eighth-grade students and compared it to their outcomes. They found that self-discipline was a better predictor of academic success than IQ. Students with higher self-discipline (measured through student, parent, and teacher assessments) earned higher final grades, better attendance, and higher standardized test scores, and were more likely to gain admission to competitive high school programs.

  psychologytoday.com
  In fact, when analyzing the data, self-discipline accounted for over twice as much variance in students’ grades as IQ did – meaning its impact on academic performance was more than double that of intelligence measures.
  psychologytoday.com
  In short, school performance had far more to do with students’ self-discipline than with their IQ scores.
  psychologytoday.com
  This study illustrates that qualities like impulse control, diligence in doing homework, and the ability to delay gratification directly translate into better academic outcomes.
  
  

• Long-Term Benefits of Self-Control: Research also links early self-discipline to long-term success in life. A famous longitudinal study by psychologist Walter Mischel (often known as the “marshmallow test”) demonstrated that children who were better at delaying gratification at age 4 (waiting longer for a treat) later showed higher academic achievement and better social outcomes in adolescence.

  gwern.net
  In other words, preschoolers with more self-control tended to have greater success well into their teenage years – including higher school performance and social competence – than those who struggled to wait. This and similar findings highlight that self-discipline in childhood is associated with positive trajectories into later stages of education and life.
  
  

• Critical for Reaching Potential: Across multiple studies, self-discipline emerges as a key trait that distinguishes students who maximize their potential from those who under-achieve. For example, one analysis found self-discipline to be the only personality factor that significantly predicted college GPA more strongly than even SAT scores.

  gwern.net
  Students who manage to stay focused, avoid procrastination, and persevere on tasks tend to perform better academically and are more likely to attain long-term goals. Researchers note that a lack of self-discipline is often a primary reason why students fall short of their intellectual potential, despite having the ability.
  psychologytoday.com
  Cultivating good work habits and self-control skills is therefore seen as crucial for academic development and later success in careers and personal life.
  
  

Sources:

• World Economic Forum – Future of Jobs Report 2023 (global survey data on AI-driven job changes)
  weforum.org
  weforum.org 
  weforum.org

• Stanford University – Study on AI tutoring vs. traditional classes (published 2024)
  scale.stanford.ed
  scale.stanford.edu

• University of Pennsylvania – Duckworth & Seligman (2005) study on self-discipline vs. IQ in adolescents
  psychologytoday.com
  psychologytoday.com
  
  
• Psychological Science journal and follow-up discussions. Also referencing Mischel’s classic delay-of-gratification research on long-term effects of self-control
  gwern.net