FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Knowledge and leadership skills that two South Arkansas educators gained through master’s degrees and fellowships benefit not only their students, but their districts. They share that knowledge with teachers and administrators.
Hope Caruthers of Warren and Kirby Gibson of Hampton both were chosen as IMPACT Arkansas Principal Fellows and took part in cohort-based activities as they worked on Master of Education degrees in educational leadership from the University of Arkansas. Both were honored June 11 on the Razorbug Diploma Tour, which celebrates graduates of online degree programs.
Caruthers recently finished her first year as director of pre-kindergarten programs at Drew Central Elementary School in Monticello after nine years teaching kindergarten.
Gibson is starting a new position this fall at Hermitage Elementary School as coordinator of the gifted and talented program, the English as a second language program and testing for the school district.
Caruthers said the degree and fellowship have helped her become a better professional. A reflective debrief technique she learned provides a more constructive way to help teachers improve than the traditional evaluation process, she said, giving one example.
“It’s so nice to bounce ideas back and forth with educators,” Caruthers said. “It has been a huge help to my teachers without being detrimental or punitive. They focus on how to better themselves rather than thinking of it as what they got wrong.”
