​Bristol Academy
High School Courses for Home-Educating Families
MRS. KAREN BUTTERWORTH
Karen Butterworth lives with her husband and their two daughters in Kingsport, Tennessee. She loves reading, theology, bread-making, chocolate, and coffee.
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She graduated from Milligan University with a degree in early childhood and elementary education. She is a member of Grace Fellowship Church Kingsport and works for First Broad Street United Methodist Church.
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She’s been homeschooling since 2010, and she has been teaching high school writing, literature, and Latin with the KACHEA co-op since 2013. In 2019, The Old Schoolhouse magazine published her article on writing instruction in its summer supplement. She loves sharing her passion for literature and words with her students.
"As a mom and the director of KACHEA co-op, I have had the privilege to not only work with Karen Butterworth, but also to have her teach my daughter. Because of Karen’s excellent teaching my daughter has been exposed to great works of literature such as A Tale of Two Cities and some of the works of William Shakespeare. As a mom who is not profusely skilled at writing, it was such a blessing to me that my daughter was able to learn writing skills from such a knowledgeable teacher.
I would highly recommend Karen Butterworth as a teacher. She is not only passionate about writing and literature, but she is equipped with the resources to enhance the students’ understanding and enjoyment of the material. She ensures that the students are able to develop and express their own ideas through group discussions. Knowing that all children learn differently, she takes the time and effort to individualize her teaching style, so that each child has the support and environment that they need to succeed.
Not only is Karen Butterworth a great teacher, but she genuinely cares about all of her students. She is willing and eager to communicate with the parents to ensure that each student has the help and encouragement that they need to reach their fullest potential. Because of Karen’s creativity and individualized method of teaching I am sure that she is a good fit for any and all students."
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--Angela Henson
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CLASSES
​Fall 2022-Spring 2023
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Who Done It?: Exploring Literature and Creative Writing Through Classic Mystery Stories
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Thursdays 10:00-11:30
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"Karen inspires students to share her love of literature, and she equips them to become better writers. Her teaching style is engaging, capturing the attention of both eager and reluctant learners. Even with grammar, she presents interesting explanations and shares tricks to help students remember the rules. When leading a class discussion, she includes all: prompting quiet kids to share their ideas and drawing summary statements out of those who are quite talkative.
I’ve been blessed to often serve as Karen’s assistant teacher at KACHEA. For years I’ve seen her focus on the unique learning styles of every student in her class; she is committed to figuring out how to help each of them succeed. My own teenagers have benefitted greatly from being in her classes: they’ve interacted with great works of literature, improved their understanding of grammar, and become better at editing their own writing.
If you are looking for someone to help your teenagers improve writing skills, read and think about great literature, or even just acquire needed English credits in a fun way, enroll them in Mrs. Butterworth’s class!
--Michelle Perrigan