Specialized+Trainings

Social Justice Lynda Tredway, University of California at Berkeley, facilitated a multi-day workshop on issues of race and equity. The work included personal, organizational and institutional development as well as tools to engage in this work as school leaders. As a part of this training, Cohort Fellows explored the impact that our students (from Northeastern North Carolina) have had on us as educators and as people in general. We also had "Courageous Conversations" about our backgrounds, race and our experiences. In addition, we explored equity traps that educators fall into that prevent real social justice from occurring and ways to have discussions with people to help schools meet the needs of racially diverse students.

In a digital story created for the training, I detailed one experience I had working with a student over the course of 3 years. media type="custom" key="15429258"

Education Law Association Conference This annual conference for the Education Law Association provided a professional forum to discuss current education law issues with experts from around the world. The conference presentation format stimulated dialogue among attorneys, educators, and administrators and allowed for specific role groups to share ideas and resources.

On one level, hearing legal information straight from the source was both informative and empowering. While I’m still no expert on case law, I have a firmer footing with the laws and better understanding of how they are created. On a broader level, it was also crucial experience on how to conduct myself amongst leading experts in a particular field. On an even more “meta” level, it was eye opening to see how my professors model best practices. On day one of the conference, Thomas Schimmel charged his colleagues to “empower” educators at all levels by disseminating legal information to as many people as possible, from school board chief council to teacher’s aides. Usually the word “empower” is sprinkled like salt on statements to make them sound spicy, but this case was totally different. As with the students who were brought to the Digital Storytelling retreat, here I was, a student and emerging administrator, co-presenting a session to legal authorities on how //I// used Dr. Schimmel’s book! I could actually feel how honored, indebted and, yes, empowered students can feel when exposed to opportunities outside of their imagination. It was a lesson well earned and I know I’ll be paying it forward early and often in my administrative career.   Llano Grande Digital Storytelling in Nags Head, NC

The Llano Grande Digital Storytelling retreat, held in November 2011, was a focus on the art of capturing the stories of the six districts in which NELA Fellows live and work. The retreat was led by a team from the Llano Grande Center. Teams of fellows worked together to create a digital representation of words, images and personalized expressions of those from these Northeastern rural counties. Fellows Sean Murphy, Melissa Richardson, Shelley Williams and I worked together to tell the story of Halifax County. We gathered artifacts and interviews about Halifax County District, but we did not use much of the artifacts. They did not capture the stories we really wanted to tell about our community. With guidance from the Llano Grande team, we decided to tell about the community we valued in the past and what we want for our community in the future.

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2011 Federal Education Policy Institute

The Federal Education Policy Institute, organized by the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), was an excellent opportunity for NELA fellows to meet and hear from numerous education policy makers. During this trip to our nation's capital in September 2011, we gathered information on topics that included: the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act, student achievement and accountability, financial aide for post-secondary education, family and community engagement, and the implementation of common core.

[] Scenes from Nags Head and DC Trainings

Other Specialized Trainings [|Understanding By Design]  [|Community Schools Learning Lab]   [|Ruby Paine Training]   [|Crucial Conversations]   [|The Flipped Classroom]   [|Conflict Resolution]   [|Facilitative Leadership]   [|ASSISTments]  NC DPI: Early Childhood Education, Exceptional Children, AG, Teacher Evaluation, Positive Behavioral Supports, Response to Intervention Presentation Opportunities As part of the NELA program, fellows are routinely asked to report on what the program is like and what unique experiences they have acquired. At the end of the Spring semester, I presented the Prezi presentation (linked below) with Cecilya Williams. The presentation was given to superintendents from the area, mentor principals involved in the program and select coaches. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #2600ff; display: block; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">media type="custom" key="15417520" In efforts to promote attention to prospective NELA candidates, the following Prezi presentation was collaboratively created and delivered with NELA Fellows Ryan Hurley, Ebony Jason, Erin Swanson, Yolanda Wiggins, Christina Williams and Shelly Williams. media type="custom" key="15417546"