Dr. Josephine Reed-Taylor, deputy commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia presents Graceful Beam, instructor of Business Management at GNTC, with a certificate for participating in the Georgia Master Teacher Experience.
Graceful Beam, instructor of Business Management, was the Georgia Northwestern Technical College representative for the first annual Georgia Master Teacher Experience; an intensive week of focus on instructional innovations, motivational techniques, situational problem-solving, contextual learning, and information exchange.
The event took place at Southwest Georgia Technical College in Thomasville. It is designed as an experiential learning event developed by teachers for teachers.
Approximately 40 instructors from technical colleges throughout Georgia gathered for the inaugural event.
“The strength of this experience is in the support that each teacher receives from the other teachers that have gathered from throughout the state,” said Summer Washington, director of the Georgia Master Teacher Experience. “The week-long exchange of ideas and collaboration develops a network that can be taken back to individual colleges to improve teaching and learning.”
Participants gain cross-disciplinary experiences and have the opportunity to teach and learn from academic, healthcare, business, professional and industry instructors. The experience exposes instructors to best practices in a multitude of disciplines, bringing fresh solutions to many problems faced in different fields of study.
The event was created as a result of SWGTC’s Quality Enhancement Plan Southwest Georgia Technical College representatives attended the Alabama Master Teacher Experience in 2012 and following direct training and support from Kristy White, AMTE Director, they worked with state leaders to bring the event to Georgia.
“Georgia was long overdue in joining the many states that offer a Master Teacher Experience and we are proud to have developed the first,” said Ms. Washington.