Tier 1 Master's Degree

Being an educator in Georgia is no easy feat. The Georgia Partnership for Education came up with 10 problems that the field of education is facing in Georgia. Of the issues specific to Georgia some stood out to me. Georgia has seen a trend of more and more teachers leaving the profession, and less and less teachers interested in joining the field of education. Districts have also been given more responsibility, and the demand for quality leadership has increased. Our high school graduates have not been soundly prepared for college (based on incompletion rates) and are ill-prepared for the workforce. Students in impoverished areas receive $1,200 less per student. Georgia also has about 10% of students with mental health issues that directly affect their school performance. http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/georgia-top-education-issues-2017/EUiJGHsurmxSYeNuowylpK/ In my experience as a Georgia educator, I feel these are genuine concerns. Many of the problems that our school f...

I'm not sure how many share the sentiment, but when Betsy DeVos was actually came into office I was #shook. Her inexperience, and comfort in her own ignorance made me think she would push to enforce an oversimplified, impractical, and hopelessly romantic one-step solution to the numerous, deep-rooted, and complex issues facing our educational system today. Luckily, it's looking like she might be all talk. Ideally, the Secretary of Education should improve the educational world for our teachers and students, at least a little. Not moving at all may be better than taking to many steps in the wrong direction, however. It has been six months, and Devos is still struggling to become fully staffed and slow to implement her school choice initiative. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/07/25/what-has-betsy-devos-actually-done-after.html We'll continue to keep an eye out.

One of the results of president Trump's travel ban was the exclusion of an all girl robotics team from having the opportunity to compete in the United States. Although I understand the intention of the ban was to keep everyone safe, I am one of the many who believe in providing everyone with an opportunity to seek a better life, and especially a better education. This was a classic example of how the ban limits many with good intentions. While it may be safer to say no one can come to the United States, the overwhelming majority of people who will suffer are those seeking a better life, an opportunity, and education. I considered how hard these girls had worked, and what sacrifices they had to make to qualify for an international competition. It is a shame that so little discrecion or care was used in crafting the ban. Fortunately, these girls were able to come after getting their visas rejected twice and the "international outcry" that resulted from the injustice. ...

Luvenia Jackson has been the superintendent of Clayton County public Schools since 2012. She retired from the field of education after 33 years in the classroom, but came out of retirement to serve as superintendent. She was then sworn in permanently in 2014 and has now left the superintendency after just 4 years. As much as I have searched, I cannot find any information explaining why she decided to leave, or whether or not it was her decision at all. According to the AJC, neither Ms. Jackson, nor the board will make any comments regarding the matter. http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/clayton-county-conduct-search-for-new-school-chief/RV7Ry2N6w0eRAPd4lFxPKP/ Now there is a new superintendent, Morcease Beasley. Everyone looking to see if he will provide the county with the organization needed, or if he is simply a well-connected politician who was put in place to act out the same agenda. Beasley was the only finalist the board had to vote on, and a former Dekalb County prin...

A recent success I’ve had was when my leadership team and I planned the on-boarding process for this school year. This year we had two key words intentionality and practice. Many of our regional leaders attended a training program in Denver this summer hosted by Relay. As a result our onboarding efforts have been embedded with intentional practice. This looks like teachers practicing specific action oriented skills in front of their peers to receive affirming and adjusting feedback. This type of intentional practice builds teachers capacity to enhance student learning by practicing relevant, rigorous, and effective teacher skills. Some of the skills we have had teachers work on this summer comes from the book, Teach Like A Champion. which lays out concrete teacher skills that can be practiced and immediately implemented. Our region has identified several skills that indicate a new teacher is having a “ strong start”. We used the pre-identified  skills to create professional deve...

One thing I've wondered about is the differences when  navigating Public versus Charter school. I have ten years of experience under my belt, however it's all in the charter school sector. With that being said a certain apprehension comes to mind, when trying to navigate Public Schools.  I am wondering if anyone in this cohort happens to have the experience of working in both a Public and Charter School. I asked because in the next two years I plan to venture into the public education system and I'm curious to hear about any insights learned about the differences between Public and Charter schools. I have had experience speaking with many people that have transitioned from Public to Charter Schools and a gained a lot of valuable Insight from them. Some of the major differences that they share involve administrative support, resources, and student culture.  Though the information is valuable,  I feel as if I am lacking and knowledge about the reversed transition,...

THE WHY: Can anyone help me with Science/STEM planning resources? I manage the Science Department at my school and this year we’re moving to the GSE standards and a more STEM based approach. We believe it will enhance student skills in regards to technology, equip students with scientific communication skills, and enhance math and lab skills. We’ve even spent some time last year visiting three different STEM Schools with high results. In doing so we’ve concluded we want to do more labs, create more STEM lessons, and attempt one learning expedition. THE ISSUE: As a leader it’s been hard to find the time to do the research needed. I also have done poorly in terms of staying connected to the schools we visited. The upside is that this blog connects me to so many wonderful educators who I can lean on. Asking for help is imperative as a leader, and I am not afraid to say I need some now! I do plan to reach out to the schools we visited to ensure we can implement some of things we obs...