In 2008 I wrote an obituary for my esteemed colleague, co-author, and friend, Ken Kavale. Ken was a leader in special education in many ways. Some links in that old post may be outdated (i.e., “404”), but readers should get the background, I hope. (Folks also should simply search on Ken Kavale for better info than this personal post.)
As I reported when I wrote that obit nearly 14 years ago, and I want to reiterate now, Ken was a way-great scholar, and a great friend. So, this Friday Photos feature features (read that carefully) my current reflections about Ken and a couple of photos of my pal.
Here is an old (i.e., low-resolution) shot of Ken from that time. I know that it doesn’t fit with my effort to present photos that are not “staged.” But please stick with me…,
Also, let me remind us that Ken provided lots of other leadership. He was an early advocate of meta-analysis, journal editor, organiztional leader, and more.
Early in special education’s efforts to identify effective methods, Ken promoted meta-analyses as a way to determine what works. He recognized that special educators could examine results of multiple studies so that they could get a higher-order (a “meta”) view.
And Ken went for it. He meta-analyzed lots and lots of data. He—with his frequent collaborator, Steve Forness—published analyses of old-style recommendations such as learning styles and perceptual-motor training. He called out bologna by showing that the data didn’t support that poop.
But, Ken had a broader perspective, too. He reflected on science, the concept of learning disabilities, and general concepts of disabilities. Ken was a contributor whom we should not forget.
On a personal note, let me remind those of us who knew Ken (and those who didn’t) that, despite his enormous academic accomplishments, he did not take himself seriously. He could laugh strongly at a moment’s notice. Even though we disagreed about many issues, Ken and I enjoyed lots of good times. We agreed about promoting evidence-based practices for teaching students with disabilities. I will forever miss him.
Part of the reason that I want to honor him is that Ken had an incredible capacity to laugh about intellectual dishonesty, irony, and self-importance, and he had a love of golf and beer. We had a lot of great times. But, people should understand that Ken had a laugh that incited laughter in many people.
Beyond his wonderful academic leadership accomplishments, I’ll remember him for his great laugh.
I learned to question many contemporary "facts" in special education from Ken's work....not only good stuff but interesting as well....
As a CECer with interests in children with more severe disabilities, as well as other non-LD areas, I was never a close professional friend of Ken Kavale, but once we made a connection, I always sought him out at the annual CEC convention for a chat about old times. You see, Ken and I were next door neighbors and early elementary school classmates, growing up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Though we lived right next door to each other, each of us lived in apartment buildings with about 75 units each, but with at least a dozen or more other kids our age. Thus, all playing of those Brooklyn street games was done with your own building kids and I hardly knew Ken from those days. Once we connected, however, it was wonderful to reminisce. Shocked as I think we all were by his death, I dug a bit and found that his funeral service was to be held in a Catholic Church right in the old neighborhood. Even though I no longer lived there, as it was only about an hour away, I felt the need to go, to kinda represent his professional life. And I was so glad I did. It seems that his Mother, at whatever age she then was, had never left that same apartment in Brooklyn, and was sadly attending her son’s funeral in their local Church, along with a few other family members and some other local family friends. And I was able to pay my respects. Thanks, John, for helping me recall my memories of Ken.