I teach in the educational leadership programs at Thomas University. I am honored to impart knowledge and skills to aspiring school and district leaders. The Educational Leadership program offers:

• Ed.S. in Educational Leadership (Tier ll Certification)
• M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Tier I Certification)
• Certificate in Educational Leadership Tier I Certification-Only

The courses in the educational leadership program promotes rigor, relevance, and high student engagement. As an Assistant Professor and Program Director for Educational Leadership, I help educational leadership candidates build capacity in their educational journey.

Initially, I was drawn to the education field through a desire to help others learn and grow. As my career in education evolved, I realized how essential leadership is for school success. That passion for leadership turned into guiding, assisting, and collaborating with others to become the best versions of themselves as school leaders.

“If you learn something new every day, you can teach something new every day!” —Martha Stewart

In school leadership, there’s always something new to learn and teach! Who wouldn’t be excited about new adventures daily? It’s rewarding to know you make a difference in the lives of others.

What attracted you to teach at Thomas University? What sets them apart?

Before teaching at Thomas University, I had the opportunity to mentor and support colleagues participating in Thomas University education degree programs. I was always impressed with the meaningful learning tasks that were a part of the coursework. Evidently, learning at Thomas University provided positive growth opportunities for the learner and the school community.

Thomas University promotes lifelong learning for educators and those desiring to become a part of the education field. All programs are designed to create a learning experience relevant to the learner’s needs.

The Thomas University Division of Education offers an innovative hybrid approach to learning. The format is presented in eight-week terms where participants engage in coursework synchronously bi-weekly with professors and peers, while participating in online independent learning activities on other weeks. This model provides flexibility, allowing more content to be learned within a semester.

Many of the teaching faculty in the Division of Education are or have been practitioners in the field of education. The wealth of knowledge and experience that each professor brings is outstanding! They can leverage best practices and content to equip students for success as educators.

What is your professional background as an educator?

I have over 30 years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, and university professor. I have served as a mentor for aspiring school administrators. I have presented at various leadership training and conferences, most recently in Chengdu, China, to present about Social and Emotional Learning and PBIS to educators.

My degrees include the following:

• Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education — Florida A & M University
• Master of Science in Instructional Technology — Georgia State University
• Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership — University of West Georgia
• Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership — Clark Atlanta University

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

I was destined to be an educator. From my early childhood days, I often convinced friends to play school. I was fortunate to have teachers along the way that inspired me through the ways they “magically” helped me to feel successful as a student. I knew I wanted to use this “magic” to help others succeed in their learning journeys. My love for school eventually led to the most amazing career!

What would you tell prospective students considering your program about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?

I would tell prospective students that there is an expectation of achievement in the educational leadership program. I am passionate about how aspiring leaders can utilize the tools of the trade to impact student achievement in school communities. I lead by example. I like to learn with and from those whom I am tasked to educate. As an Assistant Professor, I am committed to providing learning opportunities that lead to successful outcomes. I encourage students to engage in learning experiences embedded within the curriculum. I hope students will leverage the experience to become exceptional school leaders.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their educational leadership degree? How can people stand out in this field?

Thomas University educational leadership programs offer best practices for participants to grow their leadership capacity. The framework is designed to be systemic, inclusive, and comprehensive to meet the requirements of becoming an effective leader in Georgia. The focus is to meet the learner’s needs through theory of practice and job-embedded leadership learning tasks.

My advice to those interested in pursuing an educational leadership degree is to be open to the challenge of change. The learning opportunities at Thomas University foster change and development. It will be up to the aspiring leader to use the knowledge and skills gained. As leaders, they will have the dispositions needed to create thriving learning environments.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.” — John C. Maxwell

The accurate measure of a successful leader is the preparation and commitment to continuous quality improvement. Thomas University educational leadership programs cultivate leaders ready to impact school communities positively.

Let us be a part of your leadership journey!

The post Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Angelique Mitchell, Assistant Professor, Program Director for Educational Leadership, Division of Education appeared first on Thomas University.

We live in exciting times, and education—specifically, teachers—are on the front lines. As an Assistant Professor of Education at Thomas University, I get to work with current and future teachers as they prepare their students to meet the opportunities and challenges present in our world. In both the Initial Teacher Preparation and Curriculum and Instruction programs, I help our students think more deeply about their professional practices in areas that include diversity, current educational issues and trends, and educational research. The idea that I can empower teachers to become powerful advocates for their students and themselves by enabling them to transfer what they learn in our programs into best practices keeps me energized to continue to be an active contributor and learner in the education profession.

How will your programs better prepare/equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will it help them tackle the challenges of COVID and post-COVID teaching?

Our programs are focused on preparing our students for the realities of teaching within the contexts of schools and society. To do this, we prepare them to work successfully with diverse learners by providing equitable educational opportunities and safe classroom environments where all students can learn. We also help teachers become more effective educational practitioners by using research to target specific questions and issues that influence how their students learn. Through their preparation in research, our students are able proactively improve student learning and have a deeper understanding of what research, evidence, and data mean.

Additionally, through instruction in areas such as social-emotional learning, our programs help teachers to support their students better holistically by adding to their understanding that students are more than intellect. Indeed, true learning involves the heart and body as well as the brain. All of these elements have been present in our programs pre-COVID, but they have taken on additional importance to our students post-COVID, and the feedback from our students speaks to the value of what we provide in this new, post-COVID environment.

What attracted you to Thomas University? What sets them apart?

For me, Thomas University offers its students and faculty a strong sense of community and family that is becoming harder to find, especially at larger institutions. Given our size, nobody remains a stranger for long and no student is “just a number.”

That means that we celebrate our students’ and colleagues’ triumphs, support each other when times get tough, and roll up our sleeves to help whenever and however we can. In short, Thomas University is a place that demonstrates that high standards and a rigorous education can take place in a positive, caring environment, and I am honored to be a part of that culture.

What is your professional background (including degrees) as an educator?

I have been an educator for over 30 years at the secondary and post-secondary levels. I taught high school French for 10 years at Coffee High School in Douglas, Georgia, and taught for 14 years at Valdosta State University before coming to Thomas University in 2016. In addition, I have served as a high school department chair, an instructor for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program, an accreditation coordinator at the post-secondary level, and serve as a Program Review Chair for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. My research areas of interest include educational politics and policy, educator ethics, rural education, and academic accreditation.

My degrees include:

• AB in French, University of Georgia
• M.Ed. Educational Leadership, Valdosta State University
• Ed.S. Teacher Leadership, Thomas University

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

To be completely honest, my educational journey is an example of how life can take you in unexpected directions. I am the first person in my family to take up education as a profession (everybody else was in either business or medicine), but when I started college, being a teacher was the farthest thought from my mind. I began my studies as a Russian Area Studies major but realized that was not really what interested me. Eventually, I became a French major and after graduation decided to teach in a public school for a year before I started graduate studies. Much to my surprise (and gratitude) one year became two years and two years became a decade! From that point, there was no looking back; I was a career educator.

After 10 wonderful years of teaching high school, I realized that it was time to explore other areas of education. I was fortunate enough to help prepare educators at Valdosta State University, where I also developed a love for issues ranging from accreditation to educational policy, professional passions that I have been able to bring to my current position at Thomas University. Moving forward, I look forward to seeing where else this long and winding educational journey will take me, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

What would you tell prospective students considering your programs about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?

I have a deep appreciation of knowledge, wisdom, reason, and critical thinking, and I value students who also treasure these elements of education. I love seeing students take what they learn in my courses and combine them with their personal and professional journeys to arrive at new or different understandings. I also love learning from my students when they “respectfully disagree” and use the powers of knowledge and reason to help me broaden my perspectives and think new thoughts. I very much believe that the best teachers learn from their students, and I am gratified when that happens.

By now, I am not sure that there is anything that my colleagues don’t know about me, but I hope that they understand that I care deeply about the educational issues that I teach and that I care very much about my students. Also, I think they have come to realize that I have a pretty dry sense of humor to the extent that it has been branded “wicked” by at least one of them!

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their graduate education degree? How can people stand out in this field?

Often, graduate students fail to finish their degrees due to the challenges of managing graduate studies along with professional and personal commitments. So perhaps the best advice I have to offer prospective graduate students is to make sure that they have strong time management skills and have the support they need from the “key stakeholders” in their lives to successfully complete their programs. If graduate students are effective stewards of their time, and if they have the support of their supervisors, family members, friends, etc., then the odds of being successful increase dramatically.

The role of educators in the post-COVID world is changing in the sense that successful educators are not just purveyors of instruction but are also leaders and advocates for the profession. Hence, successful educators model empowerment by leading their colleagues—either formally or informally—to be better educators, better professionals. They are the ones that will provide the solutions to the challenges facing teachers, students, schools, and communities, and they will be the ones to marshal the people and resources to ensure that educators can truly fulfill the personal and professional commitments they make to their students and themselves.

The post Faculty Spotlight: Scott Grubbs, Assistant Professor of Education appeared first on Thomas University.

What programs do you teach at Thomas University? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?

As an Associate Professor in the Division of Education, I have the privilege of teaching in graduate and undergraduate programs on topics related to my career in public education. Prior to joining Thomas University (TU), I worked in the largest PK-12 school district in Georgia in various roles that include ESOL teacher, Middle School Title III Program Specialist, and Coordinator of Assessment.

These experiences, combined with an interest in instructional technology, laid the groundwork for teaching courses in TU’s ESOL Endorsement program, the Online Teaching Endorsement Only program, the undergraduate Education Preparation Program, the M.A.T. program, and the graduate program.

My love of teaching was ignited when I was asked to tutor an elementary student struggling in math as a high school student. Watching the student move from failure to success gave great satisfaction and became the catalyst for me pursuing a degree in education. I entered the ESOL and assessment fields with the same desire to move students from failure to success. The use of instructional technology continues to fuel my love of teaching since it offers creative ways to engage learners.

How will your program better prepare/equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will it help them tackle the challenges of COVID and post-COVID teaching?

An undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in one of the Education Division’s programs will gain knowledge and skills in the use of assessment data that leads to instructional decisions, as well as the action research protocol that moves the professional educator from being a consumer of research data to understanding how to apply the research process to answer a specific research problem identified within the classroom.

If enrolled in the ESOL Endorsement program, a certified teacher will gain the knowledge and skills to teach English Language Learners (ELLs) either as an ESOL teacher or a classroom teacher who has ELLs integrated within a content area classroom. These skills, coupled with an array of web-based tools, will prepare teachers to integrate instructional technology within a traditional classroom and an online learning environment.

What attracted you to teach at Thomas University? What sets them apart?

While some institutions emphasize theory over practice, the Thomas University’s Education Division courses integrate theory within practice through performance-based assignments and projects.

In addition, a large percentage of the professors in the division serve PK-12 districts and local schools as full-time district and local school administrators and teachers. Having this pool of experience and knowledge from which to draw creates a collaborative team environment for continuous improvement. This leads to learning experiences for our students that are both rigorous and relevant.

What is your professional background as an educator?

I have combined experience of over 20 years in PK-12 education and higher education as an ESOL teacher, district leader, and university professor.

My degrees include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Music Education
• Master’s degree in Religious Education
• Master’s Degree in Science—Applied Linguistics
• Specialist’s Degree in PK-12 Instructional Leadership
• Education Doctorate in PK-12 Instructional Leadership.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

Throughout my career, I set a goal to one day teach at a university, but the path to fulfilling that dream was a journey that spanned more than 25 years. My interest in music education began as a child growing up in a musical family. Everyone was encouraged to play an instrument or sing in church choirs.

Eventually, I was given the opportunity to direct youth and adult choirs and lead youth programs in churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. I had the privilege of serving as a Christian missionary in South Korea where I taught English as a Foreign Language. It was there I realized I needed more professional training and returned to the United States to pursue a degree in Applied Linguistics from Georgia State University.

Later this training would lead to ESOL teaching positions and the role of Title III Specialist for Middle Schools in Gwinnett County Public Schools. Because of my interest in language learners and assessment, I transitioned to the position of Coordinator of Assessment. In that role, I deepened my professional knowledge of formative assessment, the assessment development cycle, and how to make assessments accessible to various students.

On one occasion, the Georgia Department of Education-Assessment office asked me to sit for a recorded interview on Formative Assessment. That interview was seen by the Chair of TU’s Education Division, who contacted me regarding an adjunct teaching position at TU. I accepted a full-time teaching position in the Education Division at TU four years later. So, while my path to becoming a university professor was unconventional, every experience along the way prepared me for the current position, for which I’m deeply grateful.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their graduate education degree? How can people stand out in this field?

If you are interested in becoming a teacher, regardless of stage of life or current position, reach out to Thomas University to begin your journey. Then pursue a variety of endorsements and experiences to continually make yourself marketable.

Finally, step out of your comfort zone to accept opportunities to grow as an educator within the local school. If your administrator sees enough potential in you to want you to lead, accept it. Then leverage the skill sets of those close to you to learn and grow.

Teaching is not for the faint of heart. While it may not be the most lucrative career, if you have the passion for it, it will be one you love.

The post Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Laura Moak, Associate Professor in the Division of Education appeared first on Thomas University.

What programs do you teach at Thomas University? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?

I currently teach and lead multiple courses in the majority of the programs we offer. This includes Content Areas (M.Eds.), M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership, and our undergraduate teacher preparation program.

Additionally, I am Program Director for the Curriculum & Instruction Program, and Content Area M.Eds. While I have the opportunity to teach across all of these programs, most of my teaching time is dedicated to pedagogical courses in our teacher preparation programs.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher. While my reasoning may have evolved over the years, my passion for education and working with various individuals never dwindled. When I was teaching high school in Florida, I was asked to present some of the teaching strategies I used with my social studies students to all faculty members. At this moment, I felt a light bulb go off and my desire to work with and train teachers was ignited.

How will your program better prepare/equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will it help them tackle the challenges of COVID and post-COVID teaching?

Much like the rest of the world, Thomas University had to adapt to the challenges that the pandemic presented. This included how we prepared and supported our educators through these challenges. All of our education graduate programs, including curriculum and instruction, and content areas were already fully online so this was not a hurdle we had to face.

Instead, we focused on the current issues that many of our students faced in their classrooms. Our level of empathy increased as the number of unknowns continued to rise. We adapted assignments to ensure they still challenged our students and took into account the new landscape of education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We also updated the literature and resources provided to students to include information related specifically to the pandemic and education. Class discourse shifted to include examinations of ways to navigate COVID and post-COVID teaching. As many schools shift back to some level of normalcy, much of what we do is still viewed through a post-COVID lens.

As new challenges arise, our programs will continue to make adjustments to ensure we support all of our students and give them the tools and skills needed to maneuver through the ever-changing climate in education successfully.

What attracted you to teach at Thomas University? What sets them apart?

Early on into my doctoral program, I knew that I wanted to work at a university that allowed me more time to teach and train educators. Thomas University has afforded me the opportunity to continue to follow my passion.

In addition to focusing on teaching, Thomas University was attractive to me for several other reasons. One of the first things I noted when I participated in the hiring process was how welcoming everyone was, especially the faculty in the Division of Education. From the beginning, it felt like home and where I would get to spend time improving education in Georgia with like-minded individuals.

Additionally, I was impressed by how open the university is to innovation and creativity; Thomas University wants to continue to grow and find ways to support all students. This mindset is very much in line with the direction I feel higher education should be aiming for.

What is your professional background as an educator?

Before obtaining a position at Thomas University, I spent my educational career in Central and North Florida. I attended a local community college and received an associate degree in history with a minor in education before transferring to the University of Florida. At the University of Florida, I obtained a bachelor’s in history with a minor in classical studies. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I earned a master’s in social studies education through University of Florida’s PROTEACH program.

Following graduation, I taught seventh-grade geography at a charter school in Orlando, Florida, before moving to Stockholm, Sweden, to tutor elementary students. After my contract in Sweden was finished, I taught several ninth through twelfth grade social studies subjects in Palm Bay, Florida. I spent several years at this high school before moving back to Gainesville, Florida, to complete my Ph.D. degree in curriculum and instruction with a focus on social studies education.

As a doctoral student and then-candidate, I taught several undergraduate and graduate courses in education before obtaining employment at Thomas University. Currently, I have been an assistant professor at Thomas University for four years and the program director for Curriculum & Instruction and Content Area M.Eds. for two years.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

Whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said a teacher. My dreams ebbed and flowed as time went on, but I always ended up wanting to be a teacher. I wanted to find something that did not feel like a job because I enjoyed it so much. I was also quick to avoid a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule behind a desk every day.

As I volunteered more and more in educational settings throughout high school and my time at the local community college, I realized that I had found everything I was looking for in becoming a teacher. To this day, I have the biggest smile on my face every time I teach and work with students.

What would you tell prospective students considering your program about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?

As a professor, there are a few key things to know about me: I am empathetic, have a deep passion for teaching and equity, and have high expectations. One of my biggest goals is to see all my students be successful in the courses I teach and the programs I lead.

I want all students to also walk away with new perspectives and ideas to utilize with their students. With that desire for success comes an understanding that life can be challenging and unpredictable. Because of this, I remain understanding, flexible, and supportive.

While I maintain a level of empathy with all of my students, I also uphold high expectations because I believe empathy and high expectations can coexist beautifully if balanced with support and open communication. Additionally, I strive to ensure that equity is a focal point of the classes I lead and teach. As the lead of the diversity course within the Curriculum and Instruction Program, equity at the K-12 and higher education levels is one of my core values. I truly believe all students can be successful when provided the appropriate support and resources alongside having educators with an equity mindset.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their graduate curriculum and instruction degree? How can people stand out in this field?

If a teacher wants to pursue a graduate degree in curriculum and instruction, I encourage them to consider their ultimate goals. What do they hope to accomplish with this degree? Focusing on those goals throughout the program can help motivate teachers when they face various struggles.

It is also essential that teachers entering this program discuss with their families and loved ones the level of dedication that will be required of them. The support of family and loved ones to navigate day-to-day and cheer them on can be instrumental in their success.

Lastly, I encourage teachers in this program to be open to new perspectives, ask questions to deepen their understanding, and soak it all in. The knowledge and experiences they gain from this program will benefit their students, colleagues, schools, and themselves for years to come.

The post Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Lindsey Stevenson Wingate, Assistant Professor of Education, Program Director for Curriculum and Instruction, Content Area M.Eds. appeared first on Thomas University.

What programs do you teach at Thomas University? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?

At Thomas University, I am an Assistant Professor who is the Graduate Coordinator and the Program Director for Teacher Leadership. I teach courses in the M.Ed. Teacher Leadership and Ed.S. Teacher Leadership programs, the M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) program, the content area M.Ed. programs for E.C.E., M.G.E., and S.E.C., the M.A.T. in Elementary Education program, and the undergraduate teaching program.

However, most of the courses I teach are in the Teacher Leadership program since this is the area I was hired to lead and where I have the greatest level of expertise. In this program I teach:

• Both residency courses (EDU630 & EDU631)
• Building Collaborative Teams course (EDU618)
• Observation and Analysis (EDU604)
• Leading a Professional Learning Community (EDU611)
• Introduction to Graduate Programs course (RSC600)

In C&I and the content area M.Ed. programs, the main course I teach is Collaborative Classrooms for Social Emotional Learning (EDU624). In the M.A.T. and undergraduate programs, I teach the Math Curriculum Development course (ECE470/EDU670).

Since I was a little girl, I have always been drawn to teaching, have always loved school, and have always loved learning. The beautiful thing about learning is that you can never know it all, so there is always something new to learn – no matter how much you know in any particular area.

One of the most exciting things about teaching is watching your students grow and learn; I have chills just saying that. It is a magical experience to teach students something new and amazing that you know will change the way they see the world, the way they see people, or the way they feel about their career or themselves. That experience never gets old.

How will your programs better prepare/equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will it help them tackle today’s education challenges?

I hope we are nearing the end of the dangerous part of the COVID-19 pandemic era. But, for the past two years, I have watched my Teacher Leadership students do some amazing things in their schools! When schools had to move to virtual learning in 2020, teacher leaders were the first ones who stepped up to lead the training that needed to be done almost immediately for all teachers in schools.

The Teacher Leadership students at Thomas University had already been using Zoom for their leadership courses, so they knew what to do at once when the pandemic struck. They put their skills to use creating and conducting small groups of teachers online, demonstrating and letting them practice how to make learning possible, active, and exciting through platforms like Zoom.

They showed teachers how to use digital tools like Google Slides and Google Docs to make their teaching more interactive and make collaborative team meetings possible through the pandemic. The teachers they taught have used those skills to keep students learning online for the past two years.

Teacher Leadership students learn how to go into their schools, study their school improvement plans, and then bring a small collaborative group of teachers together to make things better for everyone.

What attracted you to teach at Thomas University? What sets them apart?

The Thomas University Division of Education is a unique place, especially because of leadership by Dr. Susan Lynn and because of exceptional full and part-time faculty and staff. Thomas University values the art of teaching and learning. The focus is continually placed on teachers being the best they can be so students can learn the most possible.

In addition to this shared mission, Dr. Lynn has created a format for curriculum-relevant classes that is exceptionally teacher-friendly. The graduate program has an eight-week hybrid course format that teachers enjoy because they can focus on one class at a time, for the most part.

Teachers have the opportunity to learn relevant content both online and face-to-face by interacting with their peers and professors during bi-weekly Zoom meetings in the evenings when they get home from teaching their PK-12 classes. When Dr. Lynn explained her programs to me, described the format, and told me about Teacher Leadership, I was anxious to get started!

What is your professional background as an educator?

After graduating from Leon High School, I went to the University of Florida for my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. I went back to Tallahassee (FSU) for my Master’s in Elementary Education and taught elementary school (fourth through sixth grades) for 18 years at the beginning of my career.

In 2005, I decided to go back to school to work on an Ed.S. and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership/Administration. I loved learning again, so I went slowly through my Ph.D. program, while also teaching a few classes at FSU and working part-time as a graduate assistant in the Department of Educational Leadership.

In 2016, Dr. Lynn approached me with the idea of leading the graduate program, emphasizing Teacher Leadership. Teacher Leadership combines two of my favorite topics – teachers and leadership! It was as if my whole career had been leading up to this point. I felt I had been fully prepared to do the job I was hired for, almost as if some “all-knowing force” had been guiding me to this point for all these years.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

I am a Tallahassee, Florida native who grew up on Lake Jackson – boating, climbing trees, playing school, and playing softball on the corner lot with neighborhood children. We romped all over the neighborhood on our bikes until the street lights came on, and we knew it was time to head home.

I am a first-generation college student, as my parents were not able to attend college; they had to go to work as soon as they got out of high school. Even so, I loved school and never had to be told to do my homework. When I got home each day, I would go straight to my room and sit on my bed in the quiet and get it all completed.

This practice helped me to get good grades and succeed in school through high school. As a first-generation college student, luckily, there were low-interest school loans available for me to borrow money to go to college, which I did. I first declared my major as engineering because I loved math, but later changed it to education after fighting with Calculus Two for several semesters.

The moment I started education courses, I knew I was “home.” I did not have a car, so I learned to take the city bus to various schools around Gainesville for my field experiences. I loved those experiences and still remember them.

What would you tell prospective students considering your programs about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?

The students who have taken my courses can probably tell you that I am very serious about teaching and learning. I have high standards and high expectations of myself and my students. I genuinely believe that everyone can learn, particularly with some scaffolding to help them stretch to meet the goal.

I love teaching and still get nervous the day of every class I teach; I spend the whole day preparing for an evening class. I like to get students involved in the content, interact with each other in discussion groups, and I think they work hard in my classes and learn a lot.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their teacher leadership degree? How can people stand out in this field?

Teacher Leadership is a program that is for anyone who truly loves teaching and wants to stay close to the classroom. However, teacher leaders want to go beyond the classroom as well, leading efforts across the campus that will improve their colleagues and their schools. Teacher leaders see things that need improvement around them and do something about it – in a positive and productive way.

Georgia has created a wonderful definition of teacher leadership that says a lot about what it means:

“Teacher Leadership is the process by which highly effective and empowered teachers serve as catalysts to facilitate continuous improvement resulting in an enhanced culture of teacher engagement, student learning, and achievement.”

If this statement makes you feel passionate about your education career, come see us!

The post Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Gale Neal, Program Director for Teacher Leadership Program appeared first on Thomas University.

What programs do you teach at Thomas University? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?

I have taught EDU 610, 612, 616, 617, 619, 623 in the College of Education and for the new Educational Leadership programs: Educational Leadership (Tier I) Certification-Only, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Tier I) Certification, and Ed.S. in Educational Leadership (Tier II) Certification. I’m drawn to this field of study because of my experience as an educator and administrator; there are facets of the job that are difficult to teach unless you’ve lived it. Throughout my career in education, I have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly. I hope to help prepare our future administrators to have the most positive impact that they can.

How will the educational leadership programs better prepare and equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will they help them tackle the challenges of COVID and post-COVID teaching?

Today’s climate in education reflects the climate of the world around us. There is a lot of uncertainty, fear, and a desire for things to be more familiar. While there has been a lot of turmoil in the world due to the pandemic and other world situations, we must try to find the possibilities.

I’m reminded of a Winston Churchill quote, “Don’t waste a good crisis.” While his focus was much different, we must look at how this has pushed us forward in terms of technology. There are some positives and possibilities to be found. The educational leadership program will help future administrators to discover those possibilities and use them to benefit their communities.

What attracted you to teach at Thomas University? What sets them apart?

Thomas University has given me the opportunity to work with some amazing people who genuinely care about developing educators to be the best versions of themselves. I’m fortunate to have become a part of Thomas; I enjoy having the opportunity to develop, lead, and help design courses and certification programs.

What is your professional background as an educator?

I began my career teaching fifth grade after completing my degree at The Ohio State University and Heidelberg University. The University of West Georgia was my next stop academically, where I completed my Master’s in Educational Leadership. I then moved from the classroom into administration as an assistant principal (both middle and elementary school levels). Soon, I completed my specialist’s degree at West Georgia in educational leadership. Later, I made a move to the position of principal of an elementary school in Cobb County, Georgia.

I served as a principal at the elementary level for 16 years! During that time, I also earned my Doctorate in Educational Leadership. This set the stage for me to move to a central office position where I trained all new principals K-12 as an Executive Director of Transformational Leadership.

I then moved into the role of assistant superintendent, working with 69 elementary schools in a district of approximately 112,000 students. Currently, I serve as the deputy superintendent of Marietta City Schools and serve a student population of approximately 9,000 students.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

A little about me personally, I love to be outdoors and spend time with my family. We are big on making family memories, so travel is huge for our family! I am happily married to my husband, Shane (who also teaches for Thomas), and we have three very active boys ranging from 14 to 21.

My passion for education came from the love and guidance I received from my fifth-grade teacher, Ms. Jack!

What would you tell prospective students considering your educational leadership programs about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?

I believe in putting all I have into anything I do. We have put all our collective experience into designing a thorough educational leadership program to help our students prepare for their careers.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their educational leadership degree? How can people stand out in these fields?

My advice for students interested in the educational leadership programs is to enter with an open mind to absorb as much as possible. We’ve been there, and we want our experience to help you be prepared for every facet of educational leadership.

The post Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Belinda Walters-Brazile, Adjunct Professor, Educational Leadership Programs appeared first on Thomas University.

What programs do you teach at Thomas University? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?

I teach in the Division of Education graduate program at Thomas University, and I am thrilled to begin working in the new Educational Leadership degree program in the Fall of 2022. This program will consist of: Educational Leadership (Tier I) Certification-Only, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Tier I) Certification, and Ed.S. in Educational Leadership (Tier II) Certification.

I was drawn to leadership early in my teaching career after being assigned a student-teacher to support my classroom. I found myself enjoying coaching, growing, and supporting student teachers and colleagues, which led me into school leadership. As a school administrator, I discovered my niche supporting teachers and leaders through coaching, feedback, and professional learning and realized the impact school leaders have on students and teachers. While teacher quality is the most important factor influencing student achievement, effective principal leadership is the second most influential factor.

I am passionate about helping school leaders create positive school cultures grounded in high expectations and support for teaching and learning. Effective school leadership can change the trajectory of the future for both students and teachers, which is why every school must have effective principals and school leaders.

How will the educational leadership programs better prepare/equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will they help them tackle the challenges of COVID and post-COVID teaching?

The Educational Leadership programs at Thomas University have been specifically designed to support emerging school and district leaders during these challenging times. Since the Educational Leadership program is new at Thomas University, the program and courses were intentionally created to equip leaders with the different skill sets needed to successfully lead schools and districts in the wake of the pandemic.

The program is designed to center on the intentional integration of social-emotional learning. The focus on social-emotional learning, culturally responsive teaching, and equity throughout courses in the program will help leaders support students and staff using a holistic approach resulting in a positive school climate focused on student and teacher success.

The courses are also designed to include job-embedded tasks that provide students with practical application of research and theory into their own unique individual settings during this time of COVID-19 pandemic challenges.

What attracted you to teach at Thomas University? What sets them apart?

I was attracted to Thomas University because of its consistent focus on developing programs and schedules that will meet the learning needs of practicing educators. The blended synchronous and asynchronous approach to learning in eight-week terms allow for more content to be learned each semester while catering to the professional needs of the students.

In addition, the teaching faculty in the Division of Education at Thomas University are field practitioners with school- and district-level leadership experience that link theory and practice and effectively guide candidates through job-embedded tasks in their setting. I believe Thomas University’s approach that leverages the expertise of practitioners in the field as instructors, as opposed to solely utilizing high-level researchers, results in a more authentic experience and deeper learning for students.

What is your professional background as an educator?

I have been in education for over 30 years, and I have been a:

• Teacher
• Instructional lead teacher
• Assistant principal
• Principal
• Assistant superintendent
• Adjunct instructor
• Executive education consultant

I received my B.S. in Elementary Education at Florida State University and my M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education at Emory University in Atlanta. I became interested in leadership during my time at Emory and went on to get my Ed.S. in Educational Administration and Supervision at the University of Georgia.

I was appointed to my first principalship in 2002. After many years as a principal, I felt that it was important for me to be able to lead my school and others into leveraging technology to enhance teaching and learning. Therefore, I earned my Ed.D. from Boise State University in Educational Technology.

I began teaching at Thomas University as an adjunct professor after obtaining my doctorate in 2016. I currently coach principals and principal supervisors and develop teachers and leaders in the graduate programs at Thomas University.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

I always knew I would be a teacher. From a very young age I would line up my dolls and stuffed animals in front of an old chalkboard and teach them how to read. I also love music and went into education with the original plan of being a music teacher, but I ultimately decided to be a general educator for elementary-aged students.

The impact teachers have on students is an incredible responsibility that can change futures and generations. I believe there is no greater profession, and as an adjunct professor for graduate students, I want to ensure teachers and leaders know their impact and help them be the best they can be for their students.

What would you tell prospective students considering your educational leadership programs about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?

People should know that I am passionate about ensuring that every classroom and school has the most effective teachers and leaders possible. My work with graduate students in the Division of Education is to push them to be focused on student achievement through the lens of student and staff support.

My former students say that in my classes, their learning comes first, and they know that I am always available to support them individually and collectively, and we will do whatever it takes for each student to be successful. Students tell me they appreciate my engaging class sessions and relevant job-embedded assignments that push them to be their best.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their educational leadership degree? How can people stand out in these fields?

Thomas University will prepare future educational leaders with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to be successful school and district leaders. Those interested in pursuing an Educational Leadership degree from Thomas University should be prepared to engage in multiple and complex job-embedded leadership opportunities in each course that will challenge and mold students into being exceptional leaders.

My advice would be for students to fully embrace all these opportunities and use artifacts and knowledge from these tasks to create a professional portfolio for future job interviews. The Educational Leadership programs at Thomas will result in candidates highly sought after by districts across the state, and a professional portfolio is an excellent way to showcase learning and experiences.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 

School leaders often enter Educational Leadership programs to impact educational change, but the true impact of school leaders is on the future success of students, teachers, families, and entire communities. Leadership matters.

The post Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Donna Ledford, Adjunct Professor, Educational Leadership Programs appeared first on Thomas University.

What program do you teach at Thomas University? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it? 

I teach in the Humanities Department at Thomas University. Mostly, I teach creative writing and literature (at every level) from first-year college students to graduate students. Since I was a little girl, I’ve been writing poetry and stories, so it felt very natural to study creative writing when I went off to college.

I love teaching creative writing because it’s a field where students can learn so much about themselves and their communities. The classes are workshop-based so they get to know each other through their writing in profoundly personal and moving ways. What keeps me excited are the students here! Our students come from such diverse backgrounds, so I feel like I’m always learning something new.

What attracted you to Thomas University to teach at? What sets them apart? 

Thomas University is a place where students get individual attention from their professors. I went to huge state schools where sometimes I didn’t even meet the professors since classes were often taught by teaching assistants. Individual attention nurtures students and allows them to grow at their own pace.

I enjoy the small class sizes and the diversity of our student body. We have a large population of international students who come from all over the world, which is very energizing. I’ve taught students from Zimbabwe, Sweden, Brazil, etc., so the variety in life experiences has been wide, and it helps students expand their thinking.

What is your professional background as an educator? 

I earned a Ph.D. in Poetry at Florida State University, an M.F.A. in Poetry at the University of Montana, and my undergraduate degrees in Psychology and English (Creative Writing) at University of California, Los Angeles. I was a graduate instructor in English at FSU and UM, but Thomas University was my first “real” teaching job. I started part-time at Thomas University during my last year of my Ph.D., and I was hired full-time the next year.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in English?  

When I first read Romeo and Juliet in sixth grade, I remember enjoying the sounds of the language so much that I read the entire thing out loud to myself in my bedroom. I don’t know if I completely understood everything Shakespeare was saying, but I loved experiencing the musicality of the words. I wanted to become a writer from an early age, so English was a great fit for me.

I spend a lot of my free time writing. I have published seven books of poetry, and my eighth book, Triptychs, is forthcoming from Wave Books. I am also a poetry critic and review books. I’ve published my poems and reviews in the New Yorker and the New York Times.

What would you tell prospective students considering your program about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you? 

People should know that our classes are simultaneously fun and challenging. They should be prepared to share their work with their classmates and get constructive feedback on their writing. We foster a safe and open learning environment where all perspectives are heard. They should also know that at TU we value free thought and dialogue and that all are welcome.

I think sometimes there is a misconception that creative writing is a class that you can take for an “easy A.” Creative writing can be quite challenging because it can be hard to write “without rules.” That said, it is also incredibly freeing. Literature classes are wonderful because when you read and learn about other lives and other life situations, ideally, it helps build your values and create a sense of empathy for others. Great literature challenges many of our cherished beliefs and helps us look beyond ourselves to better understand the world.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their English degree? How can people stand out in this field? 

There is so much you can do with an English degree. Workplaces are always desperate for good writers, good communicators, and people who are interesting and creative. Studying literature and creative writing gives you those tools and so much more.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

If you memorize a poem, it will come back into your mind when you need it the most!

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