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Knowledge and leadership skills that two South Arkansas educators gained through master’s degrees and fellowships benefit not only their students but their districts. 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’ that 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.”
Gibson said she realized she could have a greater impact in her district by moving from classroom teacher to a leadership role.
“I changed my perspective from a narrow lens of ‘What can I do for my students within the four walls of my classroom?’ to broadening the lens that allows me to have a greater effect by working with teachers of these kids,” she said. “I really fell in love with working with adults.”
The University of Arkansas Global Campus takes the Razorbug, a Volkswagen Beetle outfitted with snout, tusks, hooves, tail and razor-edged spine, on the road each summer to celebrate graduates of online degree programs across Arkansas. These graduates stayed in their home communities to continue working and taking care of families and other responsibilities as they earned degrees.
John Bacon, executive director of IMPACT Arkansas, presented framed diplomas to Gibson and Caruthers. He was joined at each presentation by Allison Prewitt Kinkaid, director of support for IMPACT Arkansas. The program funded by private grants is based in the College of Education and Health Professions with University Professor John Pijanowski as principal investigator.
This is the fifth year the Razorbug has driven hundreds of miles on the Razorbug Diploma Tour.
