Hope Street Group Fellowship Allows Teacher to Effect Education Change on a Broader Scale.
Andrew Beaver has been an 8th grade Math teacher at Olmsted Academy North, an all-boys middle school in Jefferson County, for 7 years. He graduated from Indiana University–Bloomington in 2009 with a Business degree.
In the summer of 2015, I had the honor of being selected as a Hope Street Group Kentucky State Teacher Fellow. Hope Street Group is a nonprofit, unbiased organization funded by The Gates Foundation whose goals are to create change agents within the spheres of public education, healthcare, and careers. It was originally started in Los Angeles in 2003 to help bring solutions to the diverse economic challenges within the community.
I am beginning my second year of a two year fellowship. Already Hope Street Group has had a tremendous impact on my outlook of education and my personal growth. I have had the opportunity to network with teachers from all across the state and learn about different challenges and solutions to education that are being faced in other districts. During my fellowship I have had the opportunity to network and work with legislators in Frankfort to provide feedback on PGES (Professional Growth and Effectiveness Systems) and how ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) will impact Kentucky.
Through Hope Street Group, I have started to find my teacher voice and have had several blogs published as well. Within JCPS, Hope Street Group has provided me with an opportunity to work in JCPS VOICE, which is developing online professional development for JCPS teachers that are led by fellow teachers within the district. For me, the greatest experiences from Hope Street Group have been the opportunity to meet with new teachers and reflect on the teaching practice through focus groups. Every year Hope Street Group fellows run focus groups that get compiled into data that are shared with state legislators and organizations. I love having the opportunity to run focus groups to learn about the challenges teachers are facing within my school and district, and then discussing possible solutions. It has also helped me develop my own personal communication skills.
Hope Street Group has given the opportunity to learn about the education system beyond the walls of my classroom and my school. I encourage all Teach Kentucky teachers to find a way to get involved in professional opportunities that extend beyond their own classroom, school, and even district. For me, it has brought a fresh perspective on my teaching and professional goals.
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