Path to possibility

Path to possibility A Journey of Teacher Leadership

My name is Michele Lippens and I have been a special education teacher at the Peabody Elementary School in Cambridge, MA since 2006. I teach an introduction to the field of special education course for pre-service teachers in the graduate program at Lesley University as an adjunct professor. The teaching of mathematics is a passion and has led me to a director position with the Association of Teachers of Mathematics since 2014. I am a mom of three children. Here is my teacher leadership story.

It was the end of the school year in 2015. i was scrolling through my email while sitting at my desk when i glanced at the words teacher leadership opportunity in the subject box. without hesitating, i opened the email and read it. Did I want to play a more consequential role in shaping the policies and practices that govern teaching and learning in the United States? This was my first step into the possible.

Teacher leadership Institute pilot year 2

150 participants from across the country

23 Members from Massachusetts; 2 members from Cambridge Public Schools

My capstone experience

Advancing the way our students engage with the school community through a blog focusing on the diverse writing and artwork of our students. This blog was intentionally created to inspire and motivate reluctant writers and those students with specific learning disabilities to share their ideas and connect with their community while learning 21st century skills and technology safely and appropriately.

Teacher leadership gives you the paint...you create the canvas

a first step towards possible...I wrote a grant!

“The small grants program seeks to encourage innovation and creativity on the part of teachers by supplementing other resources and by providing seed money for new endeavors which are outside the purview of the school budget” ~Rotary Club of Cambridge, MA

In September 2017, i found out i was awarded funding to purchase furniture for a new multi-media center! Hooray!

The Problem: outdated and broken technology

I wrote another grant to the Friends of the Peabody School (charitable trust dedicated to enriching the educational environment at our school) to update our technology.

It worked! We received funding for new technology, including brand new chrome books, ipads, and even money additional money for apps!

So what now?

Teachers need professional development that can inspire and transform their practice. Every teacher deserves the tools they need to spark change.

take a walk with me

My students deserve the most current technology and an educator geared with a backpack full of instructional practices and research-based strategies that extend their learning.

believe in the power of possibility

Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by Reading Tom - "The Hobby Drive" • fancycrave1 - "laptop human hands keyboard typing working business" • Owen H R - "Stepping stones..." • kaboompics - "pencils writing write blog blogger writer work" • AlexanderStein - "colored pencils pens crayons colour pencils colorful" • StartupStockPhotos - "children win success video game play happy" • Jeromy_S - "Surprised" • TeroVesalainen - "thought idea innovation" • geralt - "problem solution help" • Todd Huffman - "Walk" • juliaavisphillips - "ear of the wind arch sandstone pothole"

Path to possibility A Journey of Teacher Leadership

So what now?

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